A Girl Like You
by Ms. Nobody
Summary: AU, Bella doesn't exist. Edward's life is turned upside-down when he meets Callie, the pregnant high-schooler.
1. Prologue

A/N: If you don't like it, don't read it! I added a prologue and revised the first two chapters. Check it out!

Edward Cullen was generally bored. His days went by much too slowly for his vampiric enjoyment, and decent meals were few and far between. The people surrounding him in school were dull and unintelligent, and the world itself seemed to be constantly spiraling into stupider and stupider states. No one had any interesting thoughts, so he spent most of his day toying with a pencil and pad of drawing paper, trying to perfect his somewhat lacking artistic skills. He did it with little interest.

His classes, in particular, dragged on. Biology was the worse, because of his proximity to the most ridiculous waste of space on the planet. Her name started with an 'M,' he was sure. Any other information about her was nullified by the constant high-pitched ringing that accompanied her thoughts in his head that the majority of the human race would call her voice. It seemed like the two never split apart. It made paying attention to his teacher, even with all his repetitive nonsense, actually appealing.

Life, to be honest, had gotten easier. The desire to chew on every human that passed him had left Edward some time ago, as did it leave every other member of the Cullen family. Maybe it was the water, but in Forks, people just didn't smell so appetizing. Edward supposed that was one of the reasons they stayed. He sighed. If anything, in his personal opinion, it had simply made his day even less interesting. There was something to be said for battling the desire to kill someone for sustenance, rather than the desire to kill them for their inanity.

Not only were most of the humans idiotic, but they were also cruel to each other. They were gossipy, backstabbing creatures. It made Edward sick to hear some of their thoughts. It also made him contemplate the usefulness of vampires, and if he was going against some code of nature by letting them live...

Mostly, it made him wonder if there was anyone left worth hanging around for.

The idea of changing someone had indeed been playing on his mind for quite a long time. He sometimes felt a pang of lonely jealousy when watching the other couples in his household go off for a romantic moment together, leaving him with naught but his piano to keep him company (Looking back later on, he came to realize that this may have been the cause for why things happened the way they did).

Meanwhile, things at home were normal. The individual problems and joys of the Cullens remained the same. Alice was still addicted to shopping and occasionally plagued with visions. Jasper was still as moody as ever (who could really blame him, though?), yet happy with Alice and his obscene collection in the library. Emmett still enjoyed bears and his lover, Rosalie, who still enjoyed him and fixing cars. Carlisle did well at the hospital, and Esme still longed for a baby. Everyone was generally content, and it was as boring as heaven.

Edward secretly longed for an upset, something to do. A clan of vampires gone wrong, or a psychotic hunter chasing down a damsel in distress. Hell, even the werewolves over in La Push had been quiet. Edward had thought once or twice about encouraging Emmett's ideas of crossing over into their territory, just for a past-time. Of course, he would never do such a thing.

Instead, he spent most of his time making up excuses for avoiding school on sunny days and watching the sunsets.

Every time the horizon turned blood red, his hand tingled with desire for another hand to hold and he sighed.


	2. Refreshing

Edward settled himself down into his seat in Biology

Edward settled himself down into his seat in Biology. He was, for once, in a bright mood. Though he knew everything the teacher would say about mitochondria, he didn't seem to mind on this particular day.

Part of what had contributed to his bright mood lay in the relocation of a particularly annoying girl who had previously sat next to him; she had moved from rainy Forks to a city in northern Montana. Now he had the desk to himself, no half-rotten stench of an over-perfumed twit leaking in through his stoic nostrils. The class even felt like it had a little more room, which he appreciated. More air to breathe, more air to dilute their scents, and that was pleasant, even if they didn't tempt him so much as they used to.

Sometimes, Edward became greatly annoyed that the Cullens had to re-attend high school so often. Whenever the family moved, it seemed, the five of them were dropped back into junior and senior years. If it wasn't high school, it was college, or med school, or law school. Rosalie had even attended a vocational school for a mechanic certification a few times. It had gotten more than old in the last fifty years.

Indeed, Melissa, the annoying girl, was gone. He stretched out a bit, shifting to the middle of his wide desk and looking forward to doing his experiment alone.

His mood, however, was soon plowed down. A knock on the door came, and with it, a line of thought into Edward's mind.

"_Why did they have to transfer _me_? I liked Mr. Gifford._" Mr. Gifford was the only other teacher that taught Science at Forks.

Edward sighed at his misfortune. He looked around the room. The only open seat, it would seem, was next to him.

Forks, you see, was slowly becoming quite a popular school district. Parents from the big cities of California and Nevada were suddenly deciding that they wanted their children in more nurturing environments. There was barely enough room for students in each classroom, and rarely enough books.

He caught the teacher's expression, a look of the inevitability of bad luck that mimicked Edward's own face.

Then she walked in.

In appearance, she was pretty, by human standards. Her body seemed slightly disproportionate, with a torso that was just too short for her long legs and long arms and long neck. Her face was fresh looking and young; her eyes were wide and round and rimmed in glitter and long lashes. Her lips were small and full, and they were paired with a button nose and a splash of freckles. She was slightly tanned in such a fashion that revealed that it was more tan than she usually was.

To compensate for her short torso, her pants hung low on her waist, with a pair of Spiderman underwear sticking out to cover her bottom. Her shirt was more of a tie-dyed dress, loosely hanging down to her thighs. She was wearing flip-flops and a worn red sweatshirt, and her reddish hair hung down her back and over her breasts in loose curls.

No one noticed that, however, because she was pregnant.

People immediately began to whisper. She blushed slightly while she was introduced, and then sat down where she was directed. Right next to Edward Cullen.

He, for the most part, paid little mind to her perfectly round belly. Off and on, he heard someone think, "She's so…_big_." Obviously she was big, she had a child in her stomach. The speaker, however, meant that she was fat. Edward's eyebrows furrowed at that. It was a little ridiculous. She looked more like a Grecian goddess of fertility than an overweight American.

Moreover, he paid attention to her. He had stopped breathing on purpose – somehow he thought two heartbeats might be one too much in the temptation category – so he didn't catch her scent. He did catch some of her thoughts. They weren't thoughts of embarrassment, like he would expect from a pregnant teenager. She had been blushing just at the attention. He smiled to himself; he thought it was very cute of her.

As the thought floated into his head, it surprised him. Cute? Maybe like a bunny is cute – helpless, soft, furry. That's cute. But humans weren't that cute.

When she sat down next to him, she smiled awkwardly and extended her hand. She had seen him and his siblings at lunch, before she had gotten pregnant, but she didn't seem to be nervous or afraid. She placed her hand right in front of him and said, "Hi, I'm Callie."

Without hesitating, or even thinking, Edward reached out to return the handshake. The polite gesture enamored him to her immediately; it was refreshing. His cold hand surprised her. "You're just as cold as I am!" She exclaimed with a smile. He let out a sigh of relief. "My hands get cold all the time. I'd offer my gloves but I'm quite sure they'd be too small." She pushed her hand against his and raised both of them into their lines of sight. Indeed, her fingers barely reached past Edward's palms. She laughed.

He looked at her, bewildered. "So you're Edward, right?" He nodded. "I've seen you around, sometimes at lunch. Looks like we'll be lab partners," She said, still smiling, then turned to face the front. Somehow, he couldn't tell whether she was smiling because of him, or if she treated everyone like this. He found himself hoping for the latter. It was rare to find a human that was genuinely nice. As he had said to himself so many times, they as creatures tended to be horribly cruel to one another.

She looked about her, a little nervous. Edward probed into her mind, searching for the cause of her nerves. Was it him? He suddenly wanted to know.

As he searched, she put her hands up to her temples and furrowed her eyebrows. "What's wrong?" He asked, distracted from his quest.

"My head just felt a bit funny, that's all." Her nose twitched from side to side like a rabbit's, and then she smiled again. "But it seems to be gone now. Maybe someone blew a dog whistle somewhere close," She added, jokingly. "Thanks for your concern, anyway."

"Are you nervous?" He asked. She shrugged and smiled awkwardly.

"A little."

"Why?" Why was he curious, anyway?

"Oh, just general jitters." She laughed. "New places, new information, and what-not."

For the rest of the period, she and Edward talked on and off, during the lecture and while they examined the mitochondria in a microscope. "We already did this in my other class," She explained later, "That's why this is so annoying. It's like doubling up on half of what I've already done." She shrugged it off with another shining smile.

As he left the classroom and headed toward lunch, Edward found himself thoroughly intrigued at the pregnant girl with a child's face who was now his lab partner. She was so happy, smiling at so much around her. The only negative thoughts he caught floating through her mind were small mental complaints about repeating a Lab or the smell of the dye; complaints that she never aired out loud.

He hadn't taken a breath since she came in, and suddenly, he wished he could smell her.

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He had been sitting in the cafeteria with his siblings for ten minutes already when he felt a tap on his shoulder. He turned, and there was Callie, with a brown-bag lunch. "Would you mind horribly if I joined you and your brothers and sisters for lunch?" She directed the question not only at him, but at the rest of them, as well, making eye contact with each. Edward's face took on a confused expression; he had never had someone brave enough to ask to sit with them at lunch. Then he realized something. She hadn't come to lunch since she had gotten pregnant and she wasn't sure if he would let her join them. Her so-called friends had ditched her as soon as she would have needed them. "Um…" He looked around to his siblings. Emmett and Jasper shrugged, Alice nodded enthusiastically, and Rosalie ignored her. "Sure."

Rosalie shot a glare at him. He shrugged. Callie went to sit down, but before she did, she looked to Rosalie. "Are you sure it's okay? I don't want to be a bother to you."

Amazingly, Rosalie looked her up and down, stared hard at her, and then nodded. "I'm Rosalie."

Callie smiled brilliantly. "It is very nice to meet you."

The rest of the Cullens smiled. Edward mixed excitement in with his already confused disposition, and then he stood and pulled out a chair for her. "Thank you very much," She said politely. She sat down across from him as he took his seat.

Alice wasted no time. "I'm Alice. You're pregnant?" Edward cringed for a moment, but Callie took it in stride and said, "Yes ma'am," with a smile.

"Is it a boy or a girl?"

"I want to be surprised."

"How far along are you?"

"Six months."

"What's your name?"

"Calliope Anne Dawson. You sure do ask a lot of questions."

"I'm a curious person. Nice to meet you, Calliope Anne."

"Nice to meet you, Alice, and Callie will do just fine, if you want the convenience."

Jasper smiled at this. He caught the slight southern twang in her voice. "You're from the South?" He asked. She nodded. He nodded his approval. "So am I."

Emmett had joined the conversation by now. "Do you like bears?"

"I think they're mighty strong and scary, but my grandfather always used to tell old stories about Snow White and Rose Red, and that bear turned out to be a Prince! So they most certainly aren't bad. Otherwise, no one would have told a nice story about them."

Edward didn't know what it was about this girl, but she had charmed his family so far. They spent the rest of their lunch period talking about bears and cars and Biology and shopping and books. It turned out that she was very well read, had a mechanic brother, and a passion for the occasional shopping trip.

Edward went to his next class with a smile on his face.

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After finishing out the day, he went to meet his siblings in the parking lot, where they got into Rosalie's car and drove home. The entire way home, they were chittering about Callie. Alice wanted to take her shopping. Rosalie wanted to look over the Volvo's engine with her and brag about her modifications. Emmett joked about taking her hunting to time how fast he could take down a bear, and Jasper wanted to hear what she thought about Sylvia Plath's The Bell Jar and what she remembered from living in Alabama. Edward just listened, bewildered, and looked forward to Biology.

The conversations carried over into the house, where Carlisle and Esme both heard every detail about Calliope Anne Dawson. When Alice mentioned that Callie was pregnant, even Esme was hooked. She looked to Edward. "Oh Edward, you must bring Callie for a visit. I'm sure I'd love to meet her." He gaped at the suggestion, even more so when his siblings agreed.

Carlisle was the only one who made any sense. "Now, really, Esme, Alice, everyone. This girl, while she seems to be a nice girl, will probably not be so nice if she finds out what we are. An Alabama girl is bound to be religious, and while I'm not against it per say," everyone nodded, recalling Carlisle's religious past, "We will probably be nothing short of demons to her. Certainly keep her as a friend at school, but it would not be wise for her to come to the house."

Everyone nodded somberly. Alice even sighed. "But I wanted to take her shopping."

Carlisle smiled. "Well, I don't see anything wrong with that."

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Later that night, Edward was curled up in his bed, listening to a mix of music he made three years prior. He couldn't understand the obsession with that girl. Sure, she was nice, adorable, polite, intelligent, and well rounded, he told himself, but she was a human. A temptation. A danger to his family. He resolved to think of her inside the realms of school and nowhere else. Somewhere, in the back of his head, he knew he was being ridiculous. He knew his family had more than enough will power to deal with the situation. Why was he overreacting? He ignored that voice.

Still, as a short song by Pete Yorn came floating through his radio speakers, he couldn't help but reminisce about her.

_Someday, I'll look into those green eyes_

_And know that you'll come with me_

_A girl like you_

She had green eyes. Deep, pale green eyes that stood out wildly against her freckles and tan. He remembered when she looked at him in Biology, straight into his eyes with no fear at all, just trust and welcome.

_Too many things I do not care for_

_But one thing that I adore_

_Is a girl like you_

Things he doesn't care for, like the human race? That was too broad. Even in thinking it, he felt like he'd be disappointing Carlisle. Carlisle believed that we were to protect the humans. And she was different. She was…well, hadn't he said adorable already?

_I always try_

_To look you in the eyes_

_And it's okay, with a girl like you_

When she looked into his eyes, it had been a shock to his senses. She was so real, so near. Yet he hadn't wanted her blood. Why? He hadn't been breathing, he remembered.

_Tomorrow, I think I'll tell you something_

_A thing that I haven't said_

_To a girl like you_

He couldn't imagine sharing his family's secret, endangering them. This line was ridiculous. But wait, he thought, why am I treating this like it is my life soundtrack?

_And even if I don't know what the day will bring_

_I can tell anything to a girl like you_

Could he?


	3. Decision

A few days passed, and Edward settled once more onto his stool in Biology. He found himself anticipating Callie's arrival, as he had for the past week or so, drumming his fingers on the desk and tapping his foot impatiently. Occasionally, someone would send a thought his way involuntarily about how worked up he was. He also heard the jealous ramblings of a blond girl in the back of the class. He didn't pay any mind. For a moment he took notice of his ability to ignore those around him. He was doubly thankful for Callie right then, for providing an acceptable distraction in his rather ho-hum life.

The bell rang, and just as the teacher was about to close the door and Edward was about to lose his mind, Callie rushed through, holding her belly stable. "I'm so sorry I'm late sir, my locker just wouldn't give up those books of mine," She said it with a breathless laugh, and walked over to Edward.

"Hey there, Edward. How are you this lovely day?" She said it with a bit of sarcasm, gesturing to the cloudy skies. Little did she know that a sunny day would be a day without him.

Edward smiled at her, forgetting for a moment all of his annoyances as he watched her grin. "I'm better, with you around." He was surprised at how very true the statement was.

Her smile grew and she blushed a little, rubbing out an invisible cigarette on the floor. "Aw, come on now."

He would have blushed if his heart still pumped blood to his face. What was wrong with him? A little voice complained in the back of his head. He ignored that just as he ignored the jealous blond girl. Soon, he was interrupted by the teacher's obnoxious throat-clearing, and he ignored that too, only pretending to pay attention. Instead, he was searching around in Callie's head.

A small smile lit up her face out of nowhere, and Edward searched for its cause. When he found it, he smiled too. Her baby had kicked. She put her hand on her stomach maternally, then took Edward's hand from the desk. He turned to look at her, for he had been looking at the board, and saw as she pressed his stony skin against her warm, living flesh. She had put his hand on her stomach, and suddenly Edward felt two heartbeats, rushing blood, thick flesh. She had put a meal in his hand.

The human in Edward held him back just barely as the monster in him fought full force to push its way to the surface. He hadn't had such a problem as this in years. Later, he realized that the surprise, the unexpectedness, was what got him. For the moment, however, he forgot to hold his breath. Her scent wafted straight up his nostrils. It was the sweetest scent he had ever encountered.

Outwardly, he stiffened. Callie looked at him strangely, wondering if she had made him uncomfortable. She went to remove his hand and was unsuccessful. The situation didn't set in immediately and she sat there, confused, for a moment.

Edward was teetering on the edge of losing it, partially a result of his own self-enforced paranoia (Years of telling oneself, "I can't, I can't, I can't" usually results in an inability to do said task). Two heartbeats were pounding in his ears. He was about to take her, right there, in front of the class, when it happened.

The baby kicked.

He felt it.

In his hand.

If he still had a working heart, it would have skipped a beat.

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After Biology, Callie followed him out, much to his chagrin. He had hoped to gather his thoughts and compile a story before he had to face her, but he had no such luck.

"What's wrong?" She implored, more demanding than he had heard her before.

He bit his lip and looked at her childish face. He was still breathing, and he could smell her. It made him shudder with the same pleasure an orgasm would give him. She looked hard at him, stepping closer. He stepped back. "Edward?" The sound of her melodious voice tortured his ears. "Edward, I just wanted to ask you a question."

He hesitated from escaping the mental anguish, and stood still for a moment

She was contented by this, and said, quite properly, "I would like to invite you to have dinner with me tonight. Would you join me?"

In the rush of what had happened in the last hour, he was shocked. He hadn't given enough attention to her thoughts to see that coming. "What?"

"Dinner. You know, combining eating to sustain ourselves with the pleasure of each other's company?" The irony of her statement was not entirely lost on him.

"I shouldn't. My family typically has meals together and my presence would be missed," His lie bothered him, but he didn't revoke it. Instead, he watched as the disappointment manifested in her expression.

"I see. Dinner with your family is important," Her tone was sorrowful. He couldn't tell if it was because of his refusal, or something else. Her thoughts didn't reveal anything.

"You probably have dinner with your family every night, am I right?" He said, trying to encourage her to think about something so he could gain access to her head. She smiled sadly. Suddenly he couldn't take the expression, the sadness that drowned him. Where was her smile? She was always so happy. "Callie?"

She put a false smile on. "Oh, well, you know. Anyway, I must be off to –"

Without finishing her sentence, she groaned and clutched her stomach. The baby inside her was bouncing around enthusiastically, punching painfully against her insides. "_Not now…_"

He heard that thought and made a snap decision, taking her under his arm and leading her straight to the office. He was maybe unreasonably worried about a premature birth or a complication. He looked to the secretary and said, "Can you please excuse Ms. Dawson and myself for the day? It seems that she needs to rest and I feel I must take her home." The secretary took one look at Callie's bulging belly, nodded, and shooed him off maternally, then hurried back to her desk to fulfill his request.

Once they were outside, he lifted her into his arms and ran to his silver car. That was enough to briefly distract her from the pain, and she looked around, amazed. It didn't last, however, and soon she had fainted in his arms. He set her in the passenger seat and rushed to the other side, slipped into gear, and took off.

A few miles down the road, he pulled off to the side, realizing that he didn't know where she lived. They were by a path into the woods that lead eventually to a meadow that Edward was familiar with. It was here that Callie came to.

She looked around, putting a hand to her forehead and saying, "Oh, mighty. What happened?"

"I took you out of school. You weren't feeling well." The pain had subsided and Callie felt a little more cognitive. "Where do you live? I can take you home."

At that, she stiffened. "Actually, I should go back to school."

"Don't be ridiculous. I signed us out for the day; we really shouldn't go back."

"I appreciate your efforts, but I really must go back." Her voice was more insistent.

"Callie, just tell me where your house is."

"No!"

Her outburst had surprised them both, and Edward became, once again, confused. "What's wrong, Callie?"

She took a deep breath and tried to recollect her emotions. "Edward, I don't know what you want or who you want or what you're doing, but you don't seem to want to have anything to do with me. Why are you still here? Take me back. I want to go back to school."

"Tell me what's wrong." He ignored her other statements.

"Nothing is wrong, Edward. Nothing is wrong with you, and nothing is wrong with me."

"That's not fair."

"Why?"

He didn't have an answer. Instead, he changed the subject. "Where do you live."

Her voice said, "Take me back to school." Her head said, "Nowhere."

"Nowhere?" He answered her thoughts by accident. She pounced on it.

"Aha! I knew it. I knew what that strange headache was, it felt like someone in my head, and it was you. Take me back to school if you cannot be honest with me, Edward. Take me back if you want nothing to do with me. Otherwise, tell me what is going on."

Edward knew that he could be honest with her. He knew that he could tell her the world. He didn't know how she would respond. He knew that he should take her home… Then it hit him, the full implications of that one-word thought. "Nowhere?"

"Do not distract me, Edward Cullen." She was serious and severe, but worried deeply underneath.

"Answer me first, and then I will answer you. Nowhere? That is more important than anything else." She bit her lip, trying to battle his logic.

"You will tell me everything?" She asked. He nodded, disregarding the consequences of his concurrence. But really, how much could she ask? "You won't tell anyone else?" Her voice had lost its strength, all of a sudden. Edward took much notice of this. She took a deep breath. "I do not have a home, per say."

Edward's entire body snapped to attention. "What?" He couldn't understand how this delicate, strong, wonderful girl could have said what she just said.

"I'm staying at a shelter, currently. But it doesn't matter. I just need to graduate. Then it doesn't matter. I'm fine. It's safe. I'm fine." The second time she said it, it sounded like she was trying to convince herself more so than him. She tried to change the subject. "I appreciate your kindliness, but really. I should go back to school." How could the world be so horrible? The only human worth even speaking to that he had encountered in the last ten years had no home? If anyone deserved a good life, it was this girl. What was wrong with these people?

His response was automatic, a product of shock and concern. If he had thought it through, he wouldn't have said it, but he did. "Come to my home."

She looked to him. "Wait. I thought you didn't like me? I thought you didn't want anything to do with me. Why would you take me to your house? I really am doing fine. I don't need your pity, I promise, I am okay."

He shook his head. "I think that you are an amazing girl, Callie. It is just…unwise for us to spend time together –" She cut him off.

"Why?"

He hesitated.

"Edward, please?"

He changed the subject once more. "Why do you think I don't like you?"

This distracted her. "You got stiff as a board when I put your hand on my stomach, and on top of that, refused my invitation to dinner. It wasn't even a date, I simply wanted to repay your kindness at lunch!" Edward pondered her and the risk he could live with taking.

"Come to my house. Have dinner with me there. I will explain anything you want."

She nodded slowly, and he started the car again. This time, he turned on the music and drove more slowly than usual.

Meaning about 60 miles an hour.


	4. Home

Even at 60 miles an hour, the winding road to Edward's home took almost fifteen minutes to drive. The entire ride was comprised of a constant view of forest, and nothing else. Callie felt almost suffocated in the isolation. It didn't help that she was overwhelmed for most of the trip with a desire to rest her hand on his as he shifted gears around tight corners. Even the air looked green.

The house was hidden carefully around a final bend and a particularly thick blanket of trees. As Edward took the final turn, he could have sworn his heart was beating faster, until he remembered he lacked one. At the same time, Callie's heart skipped a beat. The house that lay in front of her now was old, maybe even ancient, but perfectly maintained. It was a pristine white with a beautiful garden and vines growing up where walls met in corners. Even under the cloudy skies, it shined. The garden was perfectly arranged, with a large range of flowers and bushes, bright colors that danced in the light of day. The lawn was manicured in a fifteen foot circle around the house before it gave way into the natural underbrush of the forest, the different areas separated by a line of multicolored peonies. There were no tacky lawn ornaments in sight, though the Cullens did lay claim to a classy set of lawn furniture arranged on and around a patio to the east side of the house.

The two of them got out of the car, standing for a brief moment on the pavement. After a time, Edward led her to the door with nothing but a quick glance at her and a tilt of the head. He heard her heart beat louder. Before he could turn the knob, Callie stopped him. "Wait," She said, biting her lip. Edward took notice of this, seeing that her lips were raw with this form of adolescent teething. "Why are you doing this?"

He opened his mouth to answer immediately, not realizing that his brain hadn't sent a reason to be said. He shook his head in a moment of disbelief, and said, "I don't know."

With no real answer to respond to, Callie said, "Then you shouldn't."

Edward hesitated. "But I must," He explained.

He opened the red door to his home.

The interior was equal in beauty to the exterior, with an open, light feel to it. There were paintings on the walls and plants dispersed throughout the foyer, a piano in the corner of what looked like a living room one room over, and a carefully carved spiral staircase taking over the west side of the room. Edward smiled to himself as he noticed that Callie was speechless. She hadn't even entered the house yet, and she couldn't seem to remember to move. Edward cleared his throat, and she returned to reality, smiling bashfully. She scraped any dirt off of her shoes and took a deep breath, stepping inside to join him.

The first person they encountered was Esme. She was floating through the first floor, transporting a fern that was much larger than her torso from the living room to the kitchen. She took notice of a presence in the room, and said, "Hello, Edward." Then she paused and lowered the fern to see through squinted eyes. Edward almost winced. Then, suddenly, her expression turned joyful, and she started, "You must be –"

"Callie's coming! Callie's coming!" Alice said, rushing down the stairs just barely too fast to be human. She skidded to a stop on the hardwood floor, sliding a few inches further than she might have if she hadn't had socks on. "Callie!" Alice hugged her enthusiastically. Only after the embrace did she take notice of the situation. She looked at Esme, then Edward, who was holding his head in his hand a step behind Callie.

Esme gave Alice a look of disparagement, then looked back to Callie. "It is so nice to meet you dear. I've heard so very much about you."

Callie took it all in a respectable stride. "The pleasure, Mrs. Cullen, is all mine." She curtseyed, perfect but for the awkwardness her swollen belly caused her. The overall cute quality of Callie in that moment overcame Esme, and she cooed and hugged Callie with the same enthusiasm as Alice had. Callie was shocked at her welcome, but she smiled brilliantly.

Hearing the ruckus, Carlisle came down from his study. He wasn't surprised to see Callie there, though he did send Edward a discouraging thought or two. Edward glanced at him, then back at Callie and Esme and Alice. The three of them were giggling over Callie's belly.

"Excuse us, ladies, for just a moment," said Edward, as he walked out of the room with Carlisle. They ventured onto the back porch. Carlisle opened his mouth to speak, but Edward was quicker. "Let me explain."

He waited for Carlisle to respond. Eventually, the older man nodded.

"She has no home, Carlisle. No home, and she's pregnant. She's staying in a shelter and taking a public bus to school. I can't just let her do that anymore." He paused, gauging Carlisle's reaction, then gauging his own. "She's too…good."

This made Carlisle's eyebrows rise. "Edward?"

He needn't finish his question aloud. Edward heard it in his head. "_Why the sudden change in opinion about humanity?_"

"Her," He said out loud. "Not humanity, per say. But her. I've never met someone more deserving than she is. I...need to help her, Carlisle."

Carlisle nodded reluctantly, examining the consequences in his head. "Then we will do what we can." There was a silence between them, and Edward began to walk back inside. Carlisle stopped him. "Does she know what we are, Edward?" Edward shook his head. and Carlisle sighed. He wondered out loud if his family had the strength to live with a beating pulse in the house. Edward only looked to the floor and prayed silently that they did.

The two of them returned to the foyer, where Rosalie and Emmett had joined the party. Emmett, relieved at an excuse to slip away from the baby-talk, walked over to them and grinned. "Oh, the female species."

The party was complete when the last of the Cullens finally arrived; Jasper walked in through the front door, surprised to be mobbed by a loud group of voices. Just the overall happiness and excitement in the room put him in a very bright mood. "Callie. It's lovely to see you." He hugged her tightly, holding his breath perceptibly.

Carlisle then took his cue, and introduced himself. The other members of his family stepped aside, and Edward fell behind Callie, a hand on her back. "If I may introduce myself?" He asked courteously, answered only by a nod. He took her hand in his and kissed it carefully. "My name is Dr. Carlisle Cullen. Welcome to our home."

Callie blushed and nodded, speechless for just a moment before she gathered up her nerves and said, "Thank you ever so much for having me, Dr. Cullen." She curtseyed again, this time with a little more grace.

There was a moment of silence, broken soon enough by Alice, who jumped to show the house to Callie. She pulled her up the stairs quickly and they disappeared into the hallway. Rosalie followed, not to be outshown by Alice, and Jasper and Emmett headed outside. Edward smiled to himself and leaned against the door, just thinking about the smile on Callie's face. In his head, he heard Esme whispering excitedly to Carlisle.

"_She doesn't have a home? Well she must stay here!_"

"_Esme, in a house of vampires? She is still a girl. A human girl. With a baby inside her. She is a danger to herself and this family!_"

"_She is not a danger! She wouldn't hurt us, see how happy she is? She just wants to feel loved again. I just imagine her parents had kicked her right out when they realized. She needs us._"

"_Esme…_"

"_Carlisle, we need her._" Esme paused. "_Edward needs her._"

Edward looked up at that, slightly shocked. What did she mean, he needed her?

Carlisle, meanwhile, gave in. "_She may stay for a while,_" He said, "_But we must find her something better. You know this. I know this._" He whispered it with a sigh.

Carlisle's answer distracted Edward from his quandaries, and he ran across the room to them. "She may stay?" Carlisle nodded. For the first time in years, Edward embraced him. He then gave Esme a tight hug and whispered, "Thank you," in her ear.

Finally, the girls sauntered down the stairs. Callie had been completely redressed already, and was now wearing a short, flowy dress that hung tight at her ribs and breasts and loose on her stomach, with cap sleeves and a ribbon that came to a perfectly tied bow in the back. Her curly hair tumbled down naturally over her shoulders, and her feet were adorned in simple slippers with a matching ribbon that wrapped around her ankles and calves and came to an equally perfect bow as the dress had. Her outfit was comprised of various shades of green, and it highlighted her eyes and contrasted her red, red hair. Esme took one look at her and cooed again. "Oh, I'm so excited!"

"About what?" Callie asked, confused.

Edward took the initiative to step forward. At that moment, Jasper and Emmett also returned inside. Everyone was present to hear the news.

"Callie, we would like you to stay here, with us."

For a moment, she was too stunned to speak. Then she looked to each member of the family, respectively, and searched for their opinion on their faces. Carlisle and Esme were both smiling paternally, Alice's face was alight with glee, and Rosalie, Emmett, and Jasper looked at each other excitedly. Edward's face was decorated with that perfect, crooked grin as he waited for her to respond.

She found she couldn't, as a lump had gathered in her throat. Tears gathered in her eyes and she whispered, "Thank you." Edward couldn't help but laugh, and he took her in her arms as she started to cry. Through the tears, she thanked them all once again, and explained in a muffled way that they were tears of happiness.

"You don't care that I'm pregnant?" She said, a few minutes later.

Esme laughed immediately. "Callie, I _love_ babies." Alice and Rosalie nodded with her, and even Emmett and Jasper grinned.

Carlisle followed it up by saying, "You need someone to watch out for you, Callie. You and your baby." Edward caught a thought from Carlisle's head, and smirked. Carlisle was incredulous at his own words. "_This is insanity…_"

"And we are here to do that," Edward finished.

Callie smiled softly, unable to believe that the people that surrounded her were so compassionate and caring. "This is all happening so fast…" She searched for a place to sit, and Edward led her to the piano bench. He smiled and brushed her hair out of her face.

"Welcome to my home," He said, holding the sarcasm out of his voice. Everything happened fast in the Cullen home, if anything was happening at all. Briefly, he was thankful. The thought left his head quickly.

The house, with Esme's slight overestimation in space, had four extra rooms. All were beautiful, but Callie became particularly excited in the room with lilac walls and a wall that was entirely glass at the end of the west wing of the house. She didn't know that her room was right next to Edward's. When she found out, she didn't mind.


	5. Dinner

In the excitement of the day so far, Callie hadn't thought to eat dinner, and now that it was going on eight o'clock, her stomach was becoming distracting. She set her coat and book-bag down in the lilac room and looked towards Edward. "I don't want to be imposing so soon, but…I'm starving."

Edward's eyes widened, and he said, "Oh," apologetically. He then took her hand and lead her to the kitchen downstairs. In the Cullen refrigerator, there was enough food products to make it appear that they ate, but just hadn't gone shopping in two weeks. Edward opened the door of the refrigerator between the two of them so Callie couldn't see inside. There was some ancient apple juice, a jar of jelly, ketchup, a collection of onions, a few cans of soda, a fruitcake, and a clove or two of garlic. Edward winced, not even bothering to open the freezer.

"Let's go out."

He shouted their departure through the house, and then pulled Callie through the door, not wanting any inquisitions or uninvited guests. The Cullens, while they were cultured and civilized people, were also nosey and occasionally intrusive. Edward ran down the walkway and to the car, dragging a flustered Callie along while she held her stomach steady the whole way.

"You, must be, crazy," She said between gasps for air as she was pulled along. Edward muttered some affirmation under his steady breath, and then opened the passenger-side door for her. She nodded her gratitude for his gesture and then fell into her seat. Edward rushed around the front of the car and sat down, putting the car into reverse before Callie even had her door closed.

Driving along, they were quiet, as Callie struggled for her breath. "You know, as a normal person, I might have been able to deal with that, but with a parasite in my belly, it gets a little difficult."

Edward smiled at the joke, but didn't say anything. He was happy to be out of the radius of his family's reach for the moment. Happy to be with Callie again, alone. For most of the ride, he simply enjoyed her scent. Occasionally, trying to be discreet about it, he watched her; her blushing cheeks, her windswept hair, her shining eyes. Something about the way she held her stomach, the soft smile on her face, broke Edward's heart, because he knew, beneath that, she was remembering pain.

Since her comment about his special skill, Edward had refrained almost entirely from perusing her mind. He was hoping she would forget about it altogether, but he doubted it would be that easy.

In the mess of his thoughts, Edward almost missed the intersection he had to turn at to get to the parking lot of the restaurant he was taking her to. He took the turn faster and sharper than most could, making Callie gasp with fright. "Are you trying to kill me?" She demanded, staring straight at him. For a moment, all he could do was stare. She simply didn't know how wrong she was.

He recovered and said, with a twinge of spite in his voice, "No, I'm trying to get you food. Shall we?" He offered her his arm and she took it, leaning on it more heavily that usual.

They crossed the parking lot at a rate that was painfully slow for Edward and walked (or in Callie's case, waddled) into the restaurant, which was a small family-owned Italian place. The hostess knew him. She greeted them both and then led him without question to the usual booth, tucked away in the back corner. Unwillingly, Edward caught a thought as it floating through her head. "_I guess that one is none of my business, isn't it. It's a pity though, that such a handsome guy would mess up _that _badly._" He scowled.

Callie noticed. "What's wrong?"

He waved her question away and helped her into her seat. She took a menu, and after noticing that, he took one too. He paged through, not really reading any of it, waiting for a waitress. She, in the meantime, was looking on the back page, which was filled with just desserts and kids' meals. Edward noticed, and said, "You probably want the middle page. That's where the meals are."

Callie grimaced. "I don't think I could get a whole plate down." She eyed a waitress exiting the kitchen doors with a tray of two plates the size of the big wheel on a tricycle. "Do you see that?" She was incredulous.

Edward smirked, shaking his head. "You're a strange girl, Callie." He hesitated, watching her face. A thought drifted towards him. "_Is that bad?_" She wondered. To reassure her, he said, "I like it."

She blushed, and the two of them sat in silence until the waitress came with two cups of water and a basket of bread. She muttered some pleasantries and asked for their order. Callie ordered a child's size plate of spaghetti, and Edward waved the waitress off, ignoring her flirtatious eyes and when then stared rudely at Callie's stomach. As soon as the other girl was gone, Callie dug into the toasted loaf of bread, and Edward rested his hands, one on top of the other, on the table in front of him. He then said, "You know, you're eating for two at this point. You might need something bigger than a kid's dinner." An echo of concern laced his voice, and Callie was suddenly rather endeared to him. She swallowed an under-chewed lump of bread roughly, trying to keep the difficulty away from her expression, and then reached out to touch his hand.

As soon as their skin made contact, Edward swallowed hard. He had heard of phantom limbs, where amputees mistake their missing limb as still present and think they feel it, but this was ridiculous. Who ever heard of a phantom heart? Edward could have sworn his dead heart was pounding away in his chest.

Breathing slowly, Edward regained control of his imaginary pulse and looked into Callie's green eyes. He didn't speak for a second, but then said, "I'm glad you're joining our family." Another pause. "We needed something new, and you are just what the doctor ordered."

A second silence overcame them. Neither could look away from the other's eyes. It wasn't until the waitress returned with a steaming plate of spaghetti that their attention was redirected. She set the plate down and said, "Cheese?" Both of them looked at her, confused. She waved the parmesan grater in front of them, annoyed.

"Oh," they said, giggling. Callie answered affirmatively, and when the waitress was done, she wandered away.

"I think we're bothering her," Edward said, grinning mischievously.

Callie grinned back, then put on a mock face of boredom. "Pity," she sighed, flipping her hair. Her scent whipped through the air right at him, shocking him. He tried not to show it.

She didn't notice his state of shock as she dug right in to the plate in front of her. As she had guessed, it was much more her size than the other plates. In looking at this, Edward suddenly realized how small she was. Her legs must make up most of her five feet and six inches, because her upper body was far too short in length to contribute much. In the booth, the effect was intensified. Edward suddenly had the urge to reach out and hold her, but stayed where he was. He somehow doubted even a vampire could be safe when coming between a hungry pregnant woman and her meal.

When she was about halfway done, she stopped, saying she wanted to assess her hunger. Edward was slightly confused by this, and asked what she meant.

"I simply don't like to eat too much. I usually tend to throw everything up if I do, and that's just a waste of time and food." She smiled bashfully and looked away for a moment. When she looked back, it was with a sharper look. "So, Mr. Cullen, you have done a fantastic job of distracting me until now, I suppose, what with having me move into your home (which I think was a little bit drastic if it was only to help me forget), but now you have an explanation to share with me, and I will just not let it go this time." She crossed her arms and didn't take her eyes off of him in an attempt to look extremely serious.

"What exactly is it you want an explanation for, Ms. Dawson?" Edward said, using his smoothest voice and most polite smile. It stunned Callie for a moment, but she was resolute, and Edward was not getting away from it.

"You can read my mind?" She whispered, leaning forward. Edward rolled his eyes briefly as he noticed that a bit of her hair had fallen into the spaghetti. He cleared his throat and pointed at it. She looked down and blushed, grinning bashfully once again as she wiped her hair clean with her napkin. Edward hoped it was enough to get her mind off of everything, but it wasn't. She snapped right back into serious mode, and said, "Answer me, Edward, you promised."

Edward sighed. "This is true."

"What's true? That you can read my mind, or that you promised?"

He hesitated, but whispered, "Both." He was looking down at the table, the empty place in front of him.

"Edward, look at me." He looked up. She was smiling, almost amazed. "Smile for me," She said, without moving her mouth. She was sending thoughts to him. His eyebrows shot up.

"Clever girl." He couldn't help but smile.

"How? How can you do it?" Edward shrugged, not willing to give up his secrets before she asked about them directly. If he could avoid the whole vampire thing, life would be easier.

"I'm not sure…" This wasn't entirely false. He didn't know the logistics of it all. She nodded an acceptance for that, but in the meantime, her mind was racing.

"_Why is it unwise for us to spend time together? Why do I never see you eat? What was bothering you, the day I put your hand on my stomach?_"

Edward cleared his throat at her, disapproving her rush of thoughts. Callie grinned apologetically. "Sorry, I'm not used to noticing how much I think…But if you heard all of that, answer it."

Edward sighed. "_Smooth move,_" He thought. Callie perked up slightly, paying more attention and looking hard at him.

"We shouldn't spend time together…because I don't want to fall in love." The truth of his statement rang even in his ears. Callie, who had taken a sip of her water, almost choked. She stared at him, confused.

After a moment, she said, "That's why you were so weird earlier today. You didn't want to get close to me…"

Edward stopped her. "It's not that I don't want to get close to _you_, Callie, I don't want to be close to anyone." He wondered if it would be enough to save her ego. She nodded, sniffing back what might have been tears.

In a few seconds, she asked, "Is it hard?"

"_You have no idea_," He caught himself thinking. "A little," He said instead, mimicking her bashful smile. Before she remembered her other question, he jumped in. "May I ask you a question?"

She nodded, not wanting to be rude.

"Please, do not take this the wrong way. Who's the father?" He said, gesturing to her belly.

She swallowed hard again, this time with no spaghetti in her mouth, and yet, it was harder to keep the pained look from her face. She looked away from him. "His name was Jake. Jacob Black."

When she next looked at him, his expression was distraught. He didn't want to be rude when she had been so polite, but he immediately excused himself. He ran to the bathroom, and, after making sure that no one was around, pulled out a slick silver cell phone and called Carlisle. Alice picked up instead.

"She's carrying a _werewolf baby_?"

Edward sighed audibly into the phone and listened as it was handed over.

"Edward?" Carlisle's voice came over the phone melodically.

"I suppose you heard already," He said, a little disappointed that Alice had stolen the glory of breaking news. "Callie's father is Jacob Black."

"That doesn't necessarily mean it's a werewolf, Edward. It simply means it has that potential." Carlisle remained calm.

"Potential or not, what happens when Jacob Black wants his baby? When he finds Callie hiding out with vampires?"

"Edward, we must cross that bridge when we come to it."

"Carlisle," He patronized, "It will not be crossing a bridge, it will be fording the English Channel."

"If you recall, Edward, I have swum the English Channel. Enjoy the rest of your dinner, and give our regards to Callie." Carlisle hung up with a pleasant note in his voice. Edward sighed. He walked back slowly, controlling his emotions to the extreme extent of his ability. Callie was back to eating her spaghetti, looking humble and abandoned. She didn't look up when he sat down.

"I apologize, but something I ate must have bothered me."

Callie looked up and glared at him. Too late did Edward realize that he had reminded her of her last question.

"What did you eat that bothered you, Edward? And when did you eat it? Where? You didn't eat at lunch because we left before then." Edward cursed silently. Callie hesitated, then went on. "Edward? Are you…anorexic?"

Edward's eyes widened in surprised, and he tried not to laugh.

Somewhere in his expression she thought she saw pain. She tried to console him. "It's more common among guys then you think, Edward. Truly. And getting help isn't hard. I won't tell anyone till you're ready, of course, but you have to start eating again. This just isn't healthy."

The concerned look on her face pushed him over the limit; he laughed out loud. Her expression changed from concern to offense.

Edward took corrective measures. "Callie," he started, putting on a more serious expression. She glared at him. "Callie, I'm not anorexic. Truly." He reached across and took her fork from her hand, twirled some spaghetti on it, and brought it to his mouth. "See?" He said. He stuck it in his mouth.

Human food for Edward was like a tyrannosaurus eating the foliage. It was under-satisfying and tasted bland and useless. It didn't bother him, much, but was never his preference and certainly not satiating. He could eat a thousand pounds of spaghetti and still crave blood.

He swallowed with some difficulty, but it didn't show. "I usually only eat when I'm particularly hungry and in the mornings."

She nodded suspiciously. "Alright, then."

He wondered to himself how long this could last before she would figure it all out. How would they hunt without her noticing? They could go at night, he supposed, while she slept. How much human food would he have to eat to keep her happy and unassuming?

He was beginning to believe that this was more work than he had thought.

It was worth it.


	6. Discoveries

It had been twenty minutes or so since Callie had taken a bite, and she was suddenly ravenous again. She choked down the rest of the spaghetti and the bread in a fashion that was ridiculously fast, even for a vampire's eyes.

He definitely would never get in between her and her dinner.

Briefly, he contemplated the irony of the statement he had just made. He let it fall to the wayside for a while, then looked back to Callie, who was now wiping her mouth clean. She looked so innocent, the hanging light overhead haloing her reddened hair in the dim restaurant's atmosphere. How could this girl be holding the child of his enemies? It was surreal to think that this childlike woman could even carry a baby. Her belly left no room for doubt, however.

The waitress returned. "Can I get you anything else?" She asked, directing her question at Edward. He ignored her and looked to Callie.

"I don't know. Callie, would you like dessert?"

With the napkin still dabbing at her mouth, she looked up at him and nodded excitedly. The waitress reluctantly looked to Callie and said, "What can I get you?" Callie quickly looked at the dessert menu sitting on the table, and said, "Oh, tiramisu would be wonderful, if that's okay."

The waitress nodded and walked off, returning soon with a plate of lavishly decorated tiramisu. Callie immediately offered him a bite, and when he went to deny, she glared at him. He rolled his eyes and took the fork, slipping it into his mouth and swallowing. Even his vampiric taste buds didn't dissent entirely.

She finished her dessert more slowly than she had eaten her spaghetti, savoring each bite. Edward watched her. She made cute faces when she was enjoying herself, like when she took far too big a chunk of tiramisu to fit between her lips and it got on her cheeks a bit. When it happened the first time, Edward reached across the table with his napkin and wiped it away. She smiled, blushing. The next time it happened, Edward laughed to himself and reached to wipe it off again, but Callie backed away, got it off her face with her finger, and sucked her finger clean. Edward couldn't help but laugh out loud.

The waitress returned with the check, putting it towards Callie. She didn't say anything like "Have a good night," or some other pleasantry. Edward frowned.

"I get so disappointed in rudeness," He said, taking the check and leaving the appropriate amount of money on the table.

After paying, Edward led Callie back out of the maze of tables and booths to the door. The hostess wished them a fond farewell and he smiled at her, ignoring her thoughts. They walked out into the night, and he resisted the urge to slip his hand into hers.

The drive home was quiet; Callie said little. "Thank you, Edward." His name sounded like music on her lips. He couldn't bring himself to respond. Instead, he looked at her for just a second too long. "Edward! The road!" She demanded when she realized he wasn't watching it.

As if he would steer her or this car awry. Still, he muttered an apology.

She didn't speak again that evening except to say goodnight. He would have thought she was angry with him if he couldn't read her thoughts. Instead, she was embarrassed, sure she had overreacted, and awkward. When she said goodnight, he smiled at her and kissed her forehead. She gave him a small smile in return.

Later than night, when Edward knew she was asleep, he left his bedroom and headed towards Carlisle. On his way to his office, Edward stopped and looked and the sleeping girl. She held her stomach, the same smile as she had given him an hour ago on her face. He stood watching her for a few minutes, pondering how it would feel to lie next to her. Carlisle's thoughts interrupted his daydreams, however, and he left her doorway and the temptation she presented to him. His feet carried him to his destination; mentally, his thoughts never wandered from Callie's bedside until Carlisle said, "Good evening, Edward."

"Carlisle," He said, returning the greeting before getting down to business. "How are we going to do this? How are we going to hide ourselves from someone _in our own home_? What if this child comes out with claws?" His feeling of calm from watching Callie sleep slipped further away with each question he asked.

"Edward, you need to keep a steady head. Before anything else, we need to ascertain something."

"And what is that?"

"Does she know what Jacob Black is?"

Edward immediately understood. If she knew that Jacob Black was a werewolf, the situation was changed. She would know that she needed to be protected, that her baby, if male, could follow in his father's footsteps. She may even know that Edward and his family were vampires.

The thought sent a shiver down his spine. The dogs knew what they were. It would be logical to assume that Callie could know. But would she still act how she had so far? She didn't seem uncomfortable around them.

Carlisle was right. This fact was essential in their planning. When they knew this, they would unlock one of Callie's secrets. The rest would have to wait.

Each member of the family knew by now that Callie carried the baby of a werewolf. Emmett, when he found out, said that it was "hardcore." Rosalie wrinkled her nose and said, "She doesn't smell like a dog." Jasper, Esme, and Carlisle were all quiet when Alice shouted it into the phone to Edward. They didn't hold it against Callie, however, for maybe the same reason they didn't hold her humanity against her. Nobody really knew that reason; they simply did.

888888

Edward didn't go back to his room that night. He sat in Callie's room instead, watching her sleep. He listened to her breathing, the two heartbeats radiating from her body. She radiated heat, raising the room temperature, and he wanted to be warm.

It occurred to his subconscious at that moment that this heat was more than the average human. The baby in her belly was burning up by human standards. He could have known then that it was a werewolf child inside her, a male with an active gene, but he was distracted. He wanted to hold her and feel that warmth. He wondered if she was too warm, if maybe she missed the cooler temperatures of an average human life. He wondered if she would appreciate his touch.

He then recalled the first day they had met, when their hands had touched. Hers had been cool in comparison to other humans, and she had been a bit cold. How could she be cold with a heat pack in her stomach?

He pondered this, and his examination of the situation led him to only one thing that could have aroused the wolf in her child. There was only one real difference. There was a vampire around her. Not just one, but seven. In immediate proximity.

She lurched in pain in her sleep. The baby (or maybe more aptly called pup) was excited. It must have sensed him there. A wolfen fetus was scratching at her insides and it was possibly his fault.

Hesitantly, he decided to wait until he knew more to act on this information. He didn't just want to drag himself away from her, not after what his family had just offered. He waited until morning, instead.

Callie woke with a quiet yawn a few hours later, stretching like a cat and rubbing her belly. Since the night had passed so slowly, Edward decided at four o'clock in the morning to buy Callie some groceries, mostly for breakfast. Now, watching her from the doorway, he was glad. Her thoughts told him that she was already hungry.

"Breakfast is ready, Callie."

She jumped, startled, and then smiled. "Guess I'm still tired. Did everyone eat already?"

He nodded.

"Oh, that's good. I didn't want to make anyone wait."

"You had a hard day yesterday. I don't think anyone would hold it against you if you slept a little late."

She suddenly looked around for a clock. "What time is it?" She was worried about school.

Edward chuckled. "Carlisle is a doctor, and he wrote a note to excuse you for the day, darling." The last word came out naturally, as if the sentence wouldn't have been complete without it. She noticed it, but Edward tried to remain nonchalant.

Soon, she said, "Oh, well that was right kind of him. I'd like to thank him." She stood on the side of her bed that was closest to him, and paused before saying, "I'd also like to thank you, Edward. Thank you for getting me out of the shelter and saving my baby, too."

They both stood in silence awkwardly. To try and break it, Edward started, "Well, breakfast –"

"Will you be the Godfather?" She interrupted, spitting out the words fast enough to choke on them. She cleared her throat, and another silence ensued as she waited for the answer.

Edward was shocked, to say the least. He couldn't seem to keep the expression off his face. Somewhere, deep down, he was smiling at the irony of asking a damned human to be a godfather. "You might ask Carlisle. He's much more…paternal, than I am."

Callie shook her head. "He already has six people to look after."

"_That _is _true,_" Edward thought.

"And I want you."

They fell silent. Callie blushed furiously. Behind his shock and amusement and embarrassment, the monster inside Edward growled hungrily. Edward ignored it with ease this time.

"To be the godfather, you mean," Edward tried to recover. Callie nodded, unable to verbally respond.

Either to end the awkwardness spilling from their proximity to each other, or to distract himself from the sexual tension between them, or maybe because he truly wanted to protect the child of this child-woman and his mortal enemies, Edward said, "I will be his godfather."

Callie smiled with relief. They both began to walk down the hall towards the stairs. Suddenly, however, she stopped. "His?"

"His what?"

"_My baby is a girl._" Her thoughts were sent straight to him.

He stared. "It can't be a girl, it's a were –"

Carlisle came out of his room at that moment, clearing his throat. "Good morning, Edward, Callie. How did you sleep?" His question was general, but both Edward and Carlisle knew it was only to Callie.

"Oh, very well, thank you, Dr. Cullen."

"Carlisle, please." She nodded.

"Thank you, also, for excusing me from school. It's a much needed break," she said, motioning to her stomach.

He smiled and patted her belly lightly, then led her down the stairs, leaving Edward on the second floor, speechless.

Everyone soon made their way out of the house for work and school, except Esme, Callie, and Edward, who had inexplicably "come down with a fever". Before leaving, Carlisle pulled Edward aside. He said, "Edward, I want you to propose this to Callie. Because of her…situation, I don't think she should be at school. She's graduating this year, however, and can't miss the final months. I'm going to arrange, with her permission, for her work to be sent here." Carlisle looked to Edward for a response. Edward nodded. "I think it will be better for all of us. Also, bring her by the hospital today. I'd like to look her over, make sure she's healthy."

Esme headed out as well, but only after spending the morning cooing over ultrasound pictures and baby shower ideas with Callie. As she walked out the door she made a comment about needing some new flowers for her hanging pots in the back yard (in the past years she had become something of a gardener, and with the new arrival, she wanted everything to look its best). Edward listened to their conversation from two rooms away, smiling. This was good for Esme, having Callie around.

Esme left Callie in the living room to contemplate her baby and what would happen in a few short months. Callie absentmindedly paged through one of the parenting magazines that Esme had pulled out for her, looking at the baby clothes and the ideas for birthday parties. She sighed, content and excited. Edward walked in after a while, and looked straight at her. Since she had said her child was a girl earlier that morning, Edward had realized something.

"When Alice asked you, the first day at lunch, if your baby was a girl or a boy, you said you wanted to be surprised." He didn't form a question, but he was obviously expecting an explanation.

"I know. No machine told me it was a girl. I just know it is."

Edward breathed a sigh of relief. It wasn't a girl, obviously. It couldn't be a girl and be a werewolf, as far as he knew. "_One less complication,_" he thought to himself.

Callie smiled at him, then looked at the clock. It was already eleven. She stretched. "I think I'm going to catch a cat nap for just a bit. All this girlish banter with Esme has made me sleepy." She smiled apologetically.

"Of course. I'll have lunch for you when you wake."

She blushed. "I don't want to bother you. I'm sure I can make something."

He smiled. "Nonsense. That baby won't want to wait and neither will you. Get some sleep. It's good for you."

Callie nodded her thanks to him, and then wandered up the stairs. In her room, she curled up on the bed and drifted off immediately into sleep on the cool sheets. Edward followed her thoughts as they blurred into dreams and then stepped outside.

It was cool, a light breeze blowing the damp air against his skin. He smiled, listening to the wind through the trees. Despite everything, he was happy to have Callie there. She was a breath of life into him, it seemed. He actually felt more human around her.

An hour passed, with Edward simply standing in the yard, enjoying the green life sprouting in the surrounding woods and the green wind that blew through them. This was his meditation, his relaxation. Spring was in the air, and it was singing a lullaby in his ears.

It seemed like the wintery weather had gone for good. Callie could put away those gloves of hers.

In her bedroom, Callie stirred. She stretched just as she had that morning, and sat up on the bed. The room was lighter than when she had fallen asleep; the windowed wall had let in all the light the day had to offer. She smiled. Suddenly, the sun broke through the clouds just barely, sending shafts of light down to Earth. She got out of bed and stood towards the window, unable to keep the smile off her face. That's when she saw Edward, standing in the yard.

He was glittering like a diamond.


	7. Truth

A/N: Some reviews would be nice, just to see if you like the direction I'm going. -Ms. N

Edward wandered back inside soon, sensing that Callie had awoken from her catnap already. Sure enough, she awaited him in the kitchen. She was a vision, sitting at the table. A bouquet of flowers, no doubt arranged by Esme, lit up the room. The colors brought out the blush in Callie's cheeks. She was still in her pajamas from the morning. They consisted of a pair of Esme's sweatpants (both Alice and Rosalie's pants wouldn't reach around her bottom, due to her belly) which were too short on her long legs, and a shirt of Emmett's, huge on her except where it strained to cover her belly. She rolled up the sweatpants to rest at her knees and tucked the sleeves of the shirt up into her bra straps. Alice had braided her hair last night, and the braid went down to her lower back.

She smiled meekly and asked, "Nice weather?"

Her question was loaded with implications, but Edward tried to ignore them for lack of a better option. She couldn't know, could she? He allowed his mind to brush against hers, trying to pick up her thoughts. Her brain had a solid brick wall of willpower built around it. Edward put on a smile, in the meantime. "Yes. It seems you bring life not only to my family but also to the world around us." He walked past her as he talked, smoothing back her hair in an affectionate gesture, then wandering towards the refrigerator. "How do you feel about a bowl of Lucky Charms? I said I'd make lunch, after all."

She nodded, never taking her eyes off of him. He gathered the ingredients and a bowl and spoon, poured the cereal for her and topped it off with two percent milk. She took the bowl and started eating bit by bit. In between bites, she said casually, "The sun came out a bit, did you see? Lit up the whole yard. Woke me up, but I don't mind. It's nice to see the sun. Makes everything…sparkle."

Edward looked sharply at her, but didn't respond. He brushed through the topmost layer of her mind and got one message. "_What are you?_"

He decided not to answer, feigning ignorance. He sat across from her.

"We have the day, Callie. What do you want to do?"

Her gaze hardened with suspicion for a brief moment, but she decided to smile. "I want to go for a walk."

"But aren't your feet sore? Walking would probably not help." His voice was hard with his demand of her compliance. She heard nothing of it though, and stood.

"No, not at all. I think a walk would do me a world of good."

He sighed, and with one more option, walked over to the door to the back yard. "Well, enjoy your walk then," He said, gesturing out the door.

She laughed, and it was clearly forced. "Oh, Edward. I haven't eaten yet."

If he could have, he would have blushed. "Right."

"You ate, I imagine?" He nodded as he sat down on the other side of the table. "Of course." She smiled at him. He wondered to himself if she was fooled at all. Probably not. He sighed, sick of the games. Across the table, her smile widened as she sensed his willpower in the matter breaking. "So, have you decided to keep good on your word?"

"I suppose I should, shouldn't I? What do you want to know?"

"Only the truth, Edward. What you promised me. I told you the truth about me, and you helped me. Tell me the truth. Maybe I can help you."

He wasn't going to give in that easily though. "Which part of the truth."

"The part about what you are, other than a crystal coated mind reader who doesn't need to eat very often." He swallowed as he remembered the shafts of sunlight in the yard. He had been careless.

His mistakes, however, weren't going to prevent him from having a little fun.

"Do you have any theories?" Her eyes narrowed at his question. He leaned back into his chair, putting his hands behind his head. "I'm just curious."

"A few."

"Like?"

It was her turn to sigh. "They're silly."

His aforementioned curiosity was peaked. "Tell me."

She winced, and said, "I don't know. Clark Kent? The Green Lantern? Did you even come in contact with something radioactive?"

He burst out laughing, despite his best efforts. "That's the best you've got? I thought you were much better than that."

She shrugged. "I'm pregnant and highly hormonal, I can't be expected to perform up to maximum potential on any day." He smiled.

"I can't wait to see maximum potential, if this is you on a bad day. You're very perceptive, Callie, but I'm not a superhero," He sighed. "I might not even be one of the good guys." He looked at her through his thick lashes, his manner hesitant. She, on the other hand, did not hesitate.

"I have another theory. It seems a little less scientific than radioactivity, though."

"Go on."

"Oh, well, first I thought maybe an angel. That seemed most likely." Edward scoffed. "But then I guess I realized that whatever God there is doesn't have a place in his heart for me. He wouldn't give me an angel." She looked away sadly. Edward's phantom heart strained with the pressure of her pain on his conscious. For a moment, her mind was unguarded, and he caught a glimpse of her past. He saw her family, strict but cordial to one another. They went to church together, they ate dinner together. Callie wasn't allowed to date until she was 17. Her brother, the mechanic, was the only person she could talk to. And then she got pregnant. Her father, a lawyer, ignored her. Her stay-at-home mother banished her from their Americana life. Her brother searched for her, but didn't find her. She disappeared.

"…Callie…"

She shook her head, wiping away her tears. "Anyway, I guess my next thought was, well, vampire." She pronounced it slowly, clearly. Edward's gaze bore into her; he couldn't take his eyes off her, and couldn't bring himself to affirm or argue with her. His other thoughts dissipated to the back of his mind. She nodded. "I thought so. But…"

"No fangs?" He said. She nodded bashfully. "Hollywood was a little off." He shrugged. "We don't melt in the sun, either."

"You glitter?" He nodded. "I wish I could see closer." He looked at her for a moment. She still hadn't finished her cereal and the remaining bits were barely more than mush, now. She looked down at her bowl for a moment, and realization sparked in her green eyes, along with equal parts fear and curiosity. "Do you…drink b-blood?"

He smiled sadly. "You're in no danger, not in this house, Callie."

"What does that mean?"

"We won't drink your blood. We're sort of –"

She interrupted. "Of course. Your whole family…"

Edward stopped, nodding. "But we're a sort of special brand of vampire. We don't hunt humans."

Callie looked at him suspiciously for a moment, then said slowly, "How can I trust that?"

He sighed. "We spend all day with humans in school. Carlisle works at a hospital. If you were going to die by our hand, you'd be dead by now." Callie shivered, but nodded.

"I have one more thing, one more truth you need to tell me." Edward didn't cringe this time. What more could there be?

"If you don't want to be close to anyone, then why did you invite me to live with you and your family?"

Edward opened his mouth to speak, then stopped himself. He closed his mouth and pursed his lips, trying to find the right words. "Because," He paused, "Your need overshadows my want."

She nodded slowly. They were silent for a moment, then she said, "Is that all?"

Edward froze. Was that the only reason? Because she needed it? Edward knew that ultimately, he was a selfish creature, like most humans and humanoids. He swallowed, unsure of what to say. "Maybe not," Was all he could muster.

She nodded without knowing how she should react. Should she be happy? What did he mean? She didn't realize that she had just thought all of that until she saw the small smirk on Edward's face.

"Be happy, Callie."

And she was.


	8. Walk

A/N: For the record, I'm trying to incorporate as many facets of Stephenie Meyer's plot as I can. Anything recognized from the novel is not my personal idea, but an adaptation of her idea into my plotline. Also, I don't own the Cullens, any characters other than Callie and her family, or the town of Forks, though that'd be damn cool.

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Edward felt a sense of relief, watching Callie finish her cereal. It was such a normal act that he was sure that she wasn't about to freak out. His relief was accompanied by confusion, however; confusion about her reaction, confusion about his feelings for her, confusion about her feelings for him. All that was in the back of his mind as he watched her finish her cereal, though. She took small bites and chewed thoroughly, as if she'd been to etiquette classes. He wondered if she had been a debutant in Alabama, or one of those kids in pageants. When she finished, she dabbed her mouth with her napkin and smiled at him.

"Alice pulled out an outfit for you; it's folded on the chair in your closet. She went shopping last night, apparently, and provided you with some clothing. I'm sure you'll find everything to your liking." Edward smiled.

"How…?"

Edward then realized he may have to explain the basic of vampirism to her. "Right. Well, let me explain some things about vampires. We don't sleep. We are very fast and very strong."

"So Alice skipped out last night while I slept? Huh."

"I went grocery shopping as well."

"Huh. Well, that's mighty kind of you, and thank you." She stopped for a bite of cereal. "So does this vampire stuff have anything to do with your mind reading?"

"Some of us have...special skills. I can read minds. Alice can see the future," She gasped at this. He smiled at her, and nodded. "Jasper…well, he's a different story. He can sort of affect your emotions. You might call it super charisma." She smiled.

"What about everyone else?"

"That pretty much sums up the special skills category."

"As if being a vampire isn't cool enough."

Edward shrugged, smirking, then stood and took her bowl to the sink. He turned back to her and said, "So, would you still like to go for a walk?"

She grinned and nodded so enthusiastically that he was sure her head would pop off at any moment. She ran upstairs, shouting along the way that she had to change. Edward looked at his own clothes. The body-hugging cashmere sweater and jeans were hardly hiking material, but he knew they wouldn't disturb him much.

In the midst of his contemplation, he heard a shriek from upstairs. In a flash, he was at Callie's door, ready to take on the nastiest beasts in the universe. He was vastly over-prepared. Callie stood there, unharmed and out of danger, staring with her jaw on the floor at the closet she had just opened. In it there were three rows of clothing against the wall; shirts and dresses hanging from a bar across the whole closet face, and beneath them, pants and skirts folded neatly atop each other, and beneath them, a row of shoes counting at least 16. In the right corner beneath the shirts sat a set of baskets full of frilly pajamas, socks, undergarments, and stockings.

Edward's muscles relaxed, and he smirked, one eyebrow raised. "_And here I thought I'd be rescuing her from a band of wild werewolves. Instead, I have to save her from the carnage of an insufferable shopping-addicted vampire._" "You're alright, I take it?"

Callie looked to him, eyes still wide with incredulity. "Are you kidding me? Alice just spend a fortune on me! When you said "some clothes", I didn't think you meant a whole wardrobe! She _color coded_ it, Edward."

"Callie, you should see _her _closet."

She didn't respond to that. "And there's no way I'll fit in all of this, or ever get to wear it all. She must be mental."

"That's one way to describe Alice, I suppose."

She shot a look at him. "Your one-liners are wearing on my nerves."

He shrugged and turned to walk out. "Come on now, get dressed. We were going to go for a walk, remember?" He closed the door behind him and wandered down the stairs, still smirking.

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Twenty minutes later, Edward was still waiting, sitting in the kitchen and looking impatiently up the stairs. In his spare time, he packed a small lunch and a blanket into a frighteningly typical picnic basket. He checked the clock for the umpteenth time, then mentally noted the irony of an impatient immortal. He sighed at himself, and turned back to watch the stairs.

In the few seconds he had looked away, Callie had left her room and was descending the stairs. When he saw her, he made a mental note to breathe before he realized it was unnecessary. She wore a flowing white skirt, tiered with ribbons that caught the wind and trailed behind her, with a pair of thigh-high white and black striped socks under a heavy looking, fur-lined pair of hiking boots. Covering her belly was a white shirt that fit snugly against her skin with lacey, short cap sleeves that hung off her shoulders. She had swept her layered hair back into a pair of messy buns, with the shortest pieces hanging down around her face.

She traipsed down the stairs and asked, "Do you think I'll need a jacket?"

Edward didn't respond. She walked over to him. "Edward?" He barely realized her proximity in his daze, and when he shook off the haze, he was surprised to see her so close. He stood.

"You'll probably be okay. I can always run back for one, though."

"Right. Vampire, super speed." She eyed him for a second. "Show me," She said, looking at him eagerly. Edward sighed and rolled his eyes, but smiled as he sped to the top of the stairs.

"See?"

Callie laughed. "Cool." He raced back down to her and lifted her off her feet with ease. "Okay, super strength too," she laughed some more, "I believe you, I swear!" He set her down and smiled; her laugh was contagious. Together, they wandered outside, Edward grabbing the picnic basket at the last second.

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They wandered through the woods under the hazy light of a cloudy day for an hour and a half, before an idea sparked in Edward's head. He looked at Callie and smiled, then said, "I have an idea, but it's far away."

Callie wasn't fazed. She puffed herself up and said, "Let's do it!"

Edward smirked. "Well, by far away I mean a few miles yet. Maybe six."

Her enthusiasm faded. "Six miles?" She looked at her feet.

"I was going to offer to carry you."

"For six miles?"

"It won't be too long, I promise."

"Right. Vampire."

He smiled and swept her into his arms. She latched onto his marble neck as he held her bare back against his chest with one arm and hung her knees over his other arm. "Hold on tight," He whispered, his breath cooling her skin for a moment before the blood rushed to her face and made her hot. She had no trouble complying, too busy with her spinning thoughts. Edward took off. Trees sped by her, a blur of green and brown. The sound of wind faded faster than it came, and that was the only indication that their speed was increasing; Callie squeezed her eyes tightly shut almost immediately, and Edward was more than light on his feet. Soon, her stomach didn't even notice, and she felt at ease to open her eyes again.

With her head draped over Edward's shoulder, she watched the world disappear behind her in a wave of green with a sort of awe overwhelming her. She couldn't tell how fast they were going, but it excited her. She couldn't help but laugh. She had a feeling that she wouldn't feel safe doing this speed in a car, but in Edward's arms, she couldn't find even a hint of nervousness. He continued, and she hugged him tighter. She felt him smile, felt the muscles in his neck strain slightly with his enjoyment. Sooner than she would have liked, he began to slow down noticeably. He relaxed his hold, as well, and she realized how firmly he had had her only once she saw her skin white with the pressure. She laughed.

Edward, now walking, sent her a questioning glance. In response, she raised her shirt to show him her side, still slightly blanched. He smiled apologetically. "I'm sorry, Callie. Let me make it up to you."

Callie noticed right then that the woods had lightened considerably. She looked ahead, where their path culminated in a bright ball of light. While they ran, she supposed, the sun must have come back out. Then it pieced together in her mind; Her mouth broke into a wide smile and she looked at Edward, ecstatic.

"Edward?"

He smiled back at her, but didn't respond. He simply made a mad dash for the light.


	9. Meadow

A/N: So, for the sake of my plot, I've thrown in a werewolf rule that didn't necessarily exist in Stephenie Meyer's book. Just so everyone knows. Reviews?

He didn't stop running until they were completely out of the forest's shade and into the bright, bright daylight. After a moment of her eyes adjusting to the violent change in ambient light, Callie's breath caught in her throat. She stared in awe around her at a perfectly round meadow glowing in the sun. Wildflowers blossomed from the knee-high grass like fireworks of the earth, explosions of color on a bright green canvas. The trees near the edge of the forest were blooming in white-green and pinks and yellows. The sky was a perfect blue behind a couple marshmallow clouds.

She was too mesmerized to notice Edward behind her, unfolding a white and red gingham blanket and billowing it into the breeze before letting it fall to the ground, completely open. She hadn't even noticed Edward yet. He listened carefully to her thoughts to gauge her reaction, and smiled as she remembered the last time she saw a day this beautiful.

Suddenly, she remembered who had brought her to this lovely place, and turned to face him, already saying, "Thank you so much, Ed –"

Again, her breathing was halting by surprise. In front of her was a crystalline god, someone that belonged in Grecian myths of majesty and mystique. He smiled softly at her as she took in the spectacle before her, mouth still agape. Suddenly, she stepped very slowly towards him, until she was less than a foot away. Then, she reached out her arm, again, ever so slowly, and brushed the back of her hand against his cheek.

Edward's eyes fell closed and he sighed, blowing sweet breath against Callie's ever blushing face. Nothing had ever felt so good to him.

In this state of bliss, he failed to realize that Callie had gotten closer to him, and it wasn't till he heard her breath in his ear that he realized how close she was. She wasn't touching him yet, but she was getting closer by the second. Then, not in a climactic fashion but with more of an air of inevitability and rightness, she pressed her warm cheek up to his, the same place where she had brushed her hand. His hands rested themselves on her hips, hidden behind her belly, and her arms snaked around his neck.

They had been close before, when he carried her to this place, but his phantom heart hadn't pounded so hard then.

It was too soon, though the moment had seemed to last forever, when she whispered, "Thank you," and pulled away slowly. She took his hands and squeezed them, then said, "What's all this?" She gestured to the picnic basket. Edward grinned.

"I figured you'd get hungry at some point, so I packed a picnic for us. Well, mainly for you."

She blushed and smiled slightly. "I must seem like the ever-hungry beast of food to you." She sat as she spoke, arranging her gangly legs beneath her and leaning back onto her palms.

"Oh, of course, _you're_ the monster of this relationship." His humor was overcast as both of them looked away, embarrassed at their thoughts on the word "relationship."

Callie was the first to overcome it. "What kind of relationship is this, Edward?"

He slipped towards the ground in a fluid, graceful movement which in no way reflected how he felt that moment. He puffed out a breath of air and said, "What do you want it to be?"

Her eyebrows furrowed immediately. "Uh-uh, Edward Cullen, none of that. I asked you now, and I want an answer from you, now! None of this round-about 'I'll answer you when you answer me' nonsense!"

Her abrasiveness shocked him, but made him smile as well. "Fair enough. I want you to be around, and be in my life, and you are. That is good." He paused, considering his next words carefully.

Callie's thoughts interrupted him. "_Generally, people call that a girlfriend_." When she realized what she had just allowed to pass to his mind, she looked at him, shocked and embarrassed at her own mental comment.

Edward smirked. She hadn't thought it with any sarcasm or implications, he noticed. It was just another one of those thoughts that drifted into the forefront of her brain, thought before she could choose otherwise. He decided to let it pass without a tirade of teasing, and resumed the more important conversation. "As I was saying, that is good. However, I am worried for your safety and for your happiness. What does that make this relationship?"

Callie was about to answer when she caught herself. "No way! I'm not answering my question for you, not this time. And I don't appreciate your trickery, sir."

"_Damn_," Edward thought for a moment. He tried to scan her thoughts.

"Get out of my head and say what you mean." Her eyes narrowed a little, though he could tell she wasn't truly angry. He smirked. Something about the contrast between her courteous side and her demanding side intrigued him. There was no sense of false, wishy-washy, polite small talk when it came to Callie, something that usually accompanied courtesy in his experience, and her demands were not overwhelming or inconsiderate, and they were never pushy. She expected everyone to perform to their fullest potential around her, and would accept nothing less. She seemed to see very aptly through the façades he established. Suddenly, he wondered to himself why those masks and walls were even there.

"I mean, my dear, that I care for you. You see through all my pretenses, and I can appreciate that. Close friends?"

Callie nodded, and Edward noticed that she had held no preconceived notions of what he would say.

Her next question surprised him. "Why bother with the pretenses, then, Edward?"

"It's funny you say that; I was just asking myself the same thing."

"So, why?"

He never answered, just stared off into space. Callie let the subject drop, and they were silent for a moment. The meadow even sounded beautiful, birds singing melodiously, the wind whistling through the trees and the reeds. It even blew some flower petals into the air, and they spiraled around the two of them. Each time Callie looked around, it took her breath away.

"God must be a painter," She said quietly. Edward raised an eyebrow at her. To answer his questioning look, she explained, "Otherwise we'd never have so many colors."

Edward smiled, then recalled what Carlisle said: "We will probably be nothing short of demons to her."

"You're religious, then?"

Callie sighed. "I was raised religious," She said.

"That doesn't answer my question."

"I know." She paused. "I believe in God, yes. But not such a malevolent one, nor one so lenient on those who do horrible wrongs. You can be a Buddhist monk, live a perfectly moral life, and still not get into heaven, as if you don't deserve it. You can kill ten people, but if you say you're sorry and you mean it, you're fine. No punishment. How is that just?"

Edward merely nodded her on, enthralled by her passion.

She noticed that he was encouraging her, and became shy immediately. She was silent for a moment, then said, "Well, I don't know, anyway. I guess I wouldn't know. I'm not one of God's people anymore."

Edward's eyebrows furrowed. "I think that's ridiculous. There is no one I know, in my credible experience, more deserving of God than you are." He paused. "Except maybe Carlisle," He said, smiling.

She laughed. "Yes, Carlisle…I know of no better man." She took a pause like he did, and said, "You know, Edward, you're not so low on the totem pole of morality yourself."

He smiled sadly. "Morality doesn't compensate for damnation."

She didn't say anything for a while. He took the opportunity to change the subject. "Speaking of Carlisle, I'm to propose an idea to you."

Callie's eyebrows shot up at the word "propose." Edward shook his head, and as he did, a thought from her head seeped into his mind.

"_At some point we're going to have to relieve this romantic tension._" He didn't know if she sent it to him on purpose or if it was unintentional, but if he could have, he would have blushed.

"He told me to ask you if you wanted him to arrange for you to be home from school for the rest of the year, due to your 'parasite'. He said he could make it so you still graduate.

A pensiveness crossed her face, and she sat in contemplation for a few minutes. "If Carlisle thinks that is what's best, then I will not disagree with him."

Edward nodded. "I'll see if he can arrange it for me, as well. I'll be your tutor," he said with a big grin. "I know the entire curriculum like the back of my hand."

This caught her attention. "How?" She paused, and a question occurred to her. "How old are you, Edward?"

He bit his lip. "Seventeen."

"How long have you been alive?" She asked, more annoyed.

"Just over a century," he said quietly.

She gulped. "Woah."

"Woah, indeed."

Callie's hunger then, after a few minutes of silence (which seemed to be a recurring theme between them). She opened the quaint picnic basket and munched away on a carrot. Eventually, the two of them shifted to more comfortable positions, and then positions even more comfortable, until Edward ended up sitting, leaning back on his palms, with Callie's shoulder tucked into his armpit and the rest of her body resting against his. Sitting down, she was about a fifteen inches shorter than him (standing, she was closer to ten inches shorter). He teased her about it.

"Well, someone up there just changed their mind halfway through when it came to making me," she said in response, sticking her carrot-covered tongue out at him. He smiled. They relaxed into a quiet, and watched the clouds roll over the sun.

When the sun began casting shadows from the trees that were just as tall as said trees were, Edward stretched. "I forgot to tell you the other part of Carlisle's request. He wanted me to take you to the hospital where he works so he could make sure everything was in proper working order."

Callie nodded, then bit her lip. She opened her mouth, about to speak, then stopped. Edward noticed. "Yes?"

She looked away. "You're vampires."

Edward nodded hesitantly. Was this some sort of last minute change of mind?

"Then you know what Jake is, don't you?"

Edward nodded again, trying to keep a scowl from his face. Not only was he a werewolf, he was a scumbag, for doing what he did to Callie.

Callie noticed his souring expression. "He's not a bad guy, Edward."

"Oh? And how do you figure such a thing?"

"It's not his fault he's not able to take care of me. It's a rule of the tribe to stay away from… reproduction until you imprint."

Edward didn't recognize the term. "Imprint?"

His lack of knowledge on the subject surprised her. "You don't know?" He shook his head. "How much do you know?"

"Very little, I suppose. We have some theories. Why? How much do you know?"

"Edward, I'm carrying a werewolf's baby."

"True. Start with imprinting."

"Imprinting is when a werewolf recognizes his soul mate. From that day on, he has eyes for no other."

"So Jacob Black did this without loving you?"

Callie became defensive. "I never said he didn't love me."

Edward backed off the subject. "Alright, so he slept with someone who isn't his soul mate. Why is that such a big issue, besides the "no sex before marriage" business?"

"This has nothing to do with religion, Edward. The problem lies when Jacob does his job as a father for a year or two, and then maybe he imprints on the neighbor girl. He can't help his love for her, and I'm left up the creek without a paddle, so to speak. It's a rule the tribe put into place, to protect the people around them. Jacob broke the rule, but he can't break the second part. This baby is mine to care for, now."

Edward sighed. "Alright. The werewolf lore will have to wait for Carlisle, at least. He needs to hear this too. Meanwhile, let's get you to the hospital and check out that baby."

Callie nodded. He started to gather the blanket and food when he realized there was no food left. Callie had eaten everything he had packed. He chuckled. "You _are _the ever-hunger monster of food."

She pouted, trying not to laugh. Smiling, he picked up the basket, then he picked her up, and took off into the woods once again.

Over his shoulder, Callie watched the meadow fall into the blur of distance and sighed.


	10. Brother

A/N: thanks for all the favorite stories and story alerts . reviews?

The trip home was uneventful, save the continual tension that made Callie want to peel herself out of his firm arms and run away, and also get closer, all at the same time. Edward noticed her confused expression. He continued to run at light speed, but decided to strike up a conversation. "Tell me about your brother."

She was surprised by the conversation. Immediately, she mentally ran through the list of things she could start on. The fact that Edward could hear her already slipped her mind, and she decided.

"He was the only one to come look for me," she said quietly. Edward didn't reply, just kept running. Callie took a deep breath, trying to control her emotions. For a moment, Edward wished he had Jasper's abilities. "He was also the first one I told. He took me to my appointments; he made excuses for my parents. We waited until it was particularly noticeable to tell them. I suppose we knew then that we were only delaying the inevitable."

Edward nodded, remembering some of his own tendencies. Callie looked at him, searching for permission to go on. He nodded her on more enthusiastically, and she continued.

"Before this all happened, we were close. He was building a car for me, actually; he's a mechanic."

"So you've said."

She blushed, but didn't stop. "That's how I met Jake. He and Nate ran into each other at the junkyard."

Edward distracted himself from the name of that dog by asking, "Nate?"

"Nathaniel, actually. My parents used to…strongly dislike it when I called him Nate." Edward nodded. "They stopped caring about what I called him, mostly, when he dropped out of law school to become a certified mechanic." She stopped, and considered something. "He's doing so well for himself, though. I can't see them being ashamed of him, though they probably are. No one appreciates the blue collar anymore."

Edward's eyes screamed curiosity. Callie sighed, and began to talk about her parents. "My mother was a housewife, and she was so excited to have me, or so I've been told. Nate always used to harass me with pictures of me, as a baby, dressed in frilly outfits. Since I was four, I was in pageants. She made sure I had a proper introduction into society, and at fourteen I was a perfect debutante. I had taken etiquette classes and dance classes. I played the piano and sang quite well, and knew all the classics of art, music, and literature. She intended for me to be the perfect lady. I took drawing classes, once, and was rather good, but my mother made me drop it when she found out about some nude sketches.

"I did it all to please her and my father when I was young. He never minded me except when I had achieved something. He was too caught up in my brother's perfect baseball pitch."

Edward wondered if he'd be any match for a band of vampires up to bat.

"I suppose both Nate and I wanted more freedom, by the time I was a teenager. I could go out with him, which was good, but never on my own. So we spent almost all of our time together. One day, he took me to meet Jacob Black. He was everything my parents would hate…and that was alluring." She paused. "Soon, Nate started dating a girl on the reservation and we would go on double dates, without my parents' knowledge, of course. The rest is history, I guess."

Edward nodded. They had arrived back at the house, and he let Callie out of his arms. "Let me get you a jacket," he said, bolting inside. She wandered to the car. He beat her there, and she stuck her tongue out at him. He couldn't help but smile, and once they were both settled into their seats (Callie firmly restrained in her seatbelt), he looked to her and said, "You make me happy."

She looked back at him, green eyes intense and sincere, and said, "I'm simply returning the favor."

His phantom heart started pounding once again. He would have to ask Carlisle about that at some point. He didn't take his topaz eyes off her, instead examining her every feature as she sat there in his car. Her freckles formed Orion and Medusa, Draco and Pegasus, Libra and Cassiopeia on her cheeks. Earrings that looked like they were made by hand out of wire and beads formed little birds dancing below her ears. Her eyes were jewels resting in perfect white clouds, rimmed with her feathery lashes. Her legs, in the passenger seat, pushed her knees against the airbag, and the crown of her head just barely touched the headrest. Her arms, long like her legs, folded demurely on her lap, reaching around her round torso.

He looked at her nails, painted green with little flower stickers on them. Her hair, pulled back haphazardly with a band, tumbled down onto her shoulders anyway. Her skin was smooth and tanned thoroughly. She looked like she fell into his pallid life off a beach, speckled with sun and sand and nature. She was so natural, he was so unnatural. How were they here, sitting in his car together?

Callie blushed under his scrutiny, and looked out the window. "So, to the hospital?"

"Of course. Right." He put the car into reverse and spun around, then took off down the driveway, in fifth gear within a minute.

Callie laughed to herself, and Edward looked to her.

"What were you thinking, before?" She asked.

"When?"

"When you were staring at me," She explained bluntly.

Edward's eyebrows shot up in surprise. "How do you do that?"

"What?"

"Make me blush without the blood rush."

Callie smirked. "Wouldn't that be an amazing name for an LP?"

"Oh yes, let's go public, start a band like Lestat in Queen of the Damned." His voice dripped with sarcasm. Callie laughed, and Edward smiled despite his efforts otherwise. Meanwhile, they sped along.

"You never answered my question," she said after a few minutes.

"I know," he said resignedly. He pondered his words for another moment, before saying, "I was thinking how very natural you are. You're like the archetypal Earth Mother; Faulkner's Lena or Hawthorne's Hester. It's as if the world becomes more beautiful when you breathe air into it. The grass is greener with your step, the trees are taller with your reach, the flowers bloom when you inhale their fragrance. You're quite amazing."

Callie was a little flustered. "I'm sure I'm just another teenager. You just may be crazy."

Edward shrugged nonchalantly. "I've never really been around a pregnant woman before. Maybe it's just that. There is something so right about it, so amazing. You're producing life, and here I am, walking death. The juxtaposition is almost poetic," He said sourly. She had nothing to return with, though she thought to herself, with almost indignant refusal to accept his opinion of his state of existence, "_I've never been more alive than I am now, with you._"

Edward heard her thoughts, and though he didn't respond with words, his phantom heart fluttered with happiness.

They pulled into the hospital parking lot. Edward got out and was around the car in just a second to open Callie's door and let her out. He offered her a hand to help her stand. "What a gentleman," she said with a smile.

"What a lady," he returned. They ventured towards the bleach-white building, and she never released the hand he had offered her. He never pulled away.


	11. Hospital

A/N: Hey guys, sorry for the wait. I've been dealing with finals. I'd love some feedback. It's about to get a lot deeper.

Once inside the hospital, Edward waved quickly to the receptionist, who smiled widely and gestured for them to head into the labyrinthine hospital halls. Her thoughts were flustered at the sight of him, and he was sure she hadn't even noticed Callie.

He knew the route perfectly, of course, and they were at Carlisle's office after only a moment. He knocked on the door politely before Carlisle sent him a mental invitation to come in. The door slipped open with ease, and Carlisle stood to greet them. He extended his arms to Callie, who rushed to him with a smile.

"Edward, why don't you wait here while I take Callie to my examination room," he said as he led her out. Edward nodded and arranged himself on a plush chair. Carlisle and Callie were already halfway down the hall.

In the examination room, Carlisle offered her a hospital gown and left to allow her to change. As soon as she was completely finished, he had reentered. "Let's get started," he said, and she nodded.

He began the examination, focusing on asking her questions about her diet and daily routines, and the habits of her child. She answered surely and calmly. Soon, he was done with his medical questions, and he quietly asked her a more personal question.

"Callie, how do you feel about Edward?" Callie blushed, and Carlisle noticed her heart beating harder. "Ah," he interjected knowingly. She blushed harder.

"It's nothing, really. I don't know what he wants," she said, pleading for a hint in her voice. She found it a little weird that she was asking Edward's father figure for advice about a romantic relationship with Edward, but she wasn't uncomfortable. Carlisle had a warm aura of kindness and compassion that made her instantly at ease.

"He has been alone for a long, long time, Callie. He is very careful." He paused. "As are you." Callie looked away from his golden eyes. "I understand, however." She knew he did. "The situation surrounding your child is a…messy one." She looked up.

"What do you mean?"

Carlisle hesitated. "You are aware of what Jacob is, I assume?"

"Of course." She quieted. "He's a werewolf."

Carlisle nodded. "Our people are natural enemies, unfortunately. We have done what we can to establish peace with them, but it is still a very, very volatile relationship. Just one small thing could tip the scales. Your child, the child of a werewolf, is in the hands of vampires. If they were to find out about this, I'm not sure what would happen."

Callie swallowed hard. "Have I put everyone in danger?" She whispered. Carlisle stood, smiled softly, and stroked her hair.

"Everything will be fine, Callie."

She nodded, her nervousness still evident on her face. Carlisle let the subject drop. After calming herself, she asked, "What's the prognosis?"

"A healthy, happy baby girl in about seven weeks." Callie smiled, thinking, "_I knew it._" "There was only one thing," he added, "that was strange. You're very warm, but I believe that is from your baby's heritage, though it is strange that a girl would be affected."

Callie's brow furrowed. "Why is that strange?"

"Can women in the tribe become werewolves?"

Callie looked up at him. "My baby is a werewolf?"

"It is possible that she carries the gene," He said it quietly. She found it hard to breathe for a moment. "I didn't think females could carry it, however."

"What? Of course females carry it. There is a female werewolf in the tribe right now."

Carlisle's shock manifested itself on his face, and he struggled internally to regain his composure. "I suppose we've been very wrong, then. What was the cause for your surprise, then, if not a female werewolf?" Callie eyed him, and it occurred to him that she may have known exactly what was going on behind his golden eyes despite his careful façade.

"That my baby would already show signs. They have been getting younger and younger in the tribe, but why would my baby…? It makes no sense." Callie paused for a second, then quietly added, "I was hoping…it wouldn't affect her."

Carlisle gazed intensely at her, taking her breath away in the same way looking into Edward's eyes did. She briefly wondered if it was a vampire thing. His brief unbalance had been cured by her statement. Through his gaze, she saw more than what other people normally caught; she saw the gears turning in his brain. He was thinking through everything, compiling possible reactions and consequences of this baby. Suddenly, a glint of hope lit his eyes like the light of a burning sunset had just hit them. He noticed that she noticed, and smiled.

"This baby, your baby, may cause a lot of mayhem. But there are new options here that we never thought possible." The glint of hope had turned into a beacon of joy. Carlisle embraced her fondly. "You are what we've been waiting for!"

Edward, catching the hullabaloo from down the hall, had wandered over. He caught a bombardment of thoughts from Carlisle's overexcited head and Callie's confused state of mind. He hadn't seen the elder vampire so excited since he saved Esme, all those years ago. His ambition had caught hold of him.

"_She could be the link to end our war, Edward. Her little girl could be the excuse for a conjoining of the werewolves and the vampires._"

Edward coughed back his surprise. "What?"

"What?" Callie said, lost. He had forgotten about her for a moment.

"Wait, it's a girl?"

"Yes, of course. Why is it so surprising that I was right?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "Because werewolves can't be girls!" He exclaimed just barely too loud. The nurses outside had questions running through minds, however, and he quickly had himself in check.

"That's ridiculous."

"You're ridiculous!" He whispered harshly.

"Actually, Edward," Carlisle interrupted, "She's right."

"Wha–"

"Now calm down. We can discuss this further when we get home, away from prying ears." He looked to the doorway, and Edward nodded. Somehow, Callie didn't need supersonic hearing to know that there was a gaggle of young nurses giggling outside. "Edward, she is the key."

Edward's nose twitched to the side, but he nodded and led her out of the office. In passing, she said, "Thank you, Doctor," loudly enough to make the nurses blush.

Faster than she would have thought, they were at his car again. Soon, they were speeding towards his ("_and mine!_" she thought with excitement) home. "So, what did he mean? I'm the key?"

Edward sighed. "Carlisle has a theory – well, many theories – but this one is along the lines of creating a peaceful relationship between the werewolves and the vampires of Forks."

Callie's eyebrows furrowed. "What does that have to do with – oh!" She exclaimed, and looked frantically at him. "He wants me to act as a messenger?"

"Yes. But it's a rather dangerous idea. They don't react well to the scent of vampires."

"Vampires have a scent?"

Edward looked sideways at her. "Yes," he stated indignantly. "As do werewolves. They reek." His nose wrinkled. "At any rate, the smell of us is all over you."

"But Jacob wouldn't hurt me."

They had pulled up to the house already, and Edward put the emergency brake on before looking intensely into her eyes. "Wouldn't he?" Callie gulped. Suddenly, she wasn't so sure.

"_What have I gotten myself into?_"

"Finally," Edward said, hearing her thoughts, "Someone who asks the right question." He smirked and led her inside, smiling at her to reassure her of her safety. "Don't worry, Callie. My family will keep you safe."

It worked. She smiled. It was a meek smile, but it was a smile none-the-less.

Later that night, Carlisle glided through the door. Edward ambushed him. Callie was nowhere to be found, instead lost somewhere with Jasper in the library, digging up old volumes of Plato. They were arguing about the 'Cave' allegory, and both were in such a stubborn mood that they felt the need to prove themselves. Meanwhile, Edward said, "Carlisle, we cannot use her as a bridge between two species. Bridges get burned, especially in these situations. She is not a tool in this crusade for peace."

"And she will not be used as such. I would not cause her any pain…I've grown quite fond of her." Briefly, an image of the two of them playing a game of Bridge over the kitchen flashed through his mind, and it was accompanied by a small smile on his face. Edward smiled as well. Carlisle then continued, "I will not begin any experiments with this. We will cross these bridges as they come, and Callie will never be tread upon. For now, however, we must make sure her baby is born with no complications, whatsoever. An unhealthy child would be not only a misfortune, but a magnet for attention and trouble from the werewolves."

Edward nodded, chewing on his lip nervously. Carlisle noticed. "What is going on in that head of yours, Edward?"

"She's running all over it. It's like, I can't think of anything without thinking of her. I don't understand it, Carlisle. I don't know what's come over me."

Carlisle chuckled and ruffled his surrogate son's hair paternally, then walked into the other room. Edward sat on his stool, confused and a little bewildered. "And what does _that_ mean?" He shouted to the other room. Carlisle only chuckled some more.

Meanwhile, Jasper resurfaced from the library. He had heard the end of the conversation and was chuckling himself. Edward glared at him, then said sullenly, "What are you laughing at?"

Jasper laughed harder, and patted his brother on the back. "For someone so intelligent, Edward, you can be so very dense."

Edward's nose twitched once again. "I highly dislike this new habit of people saying things without saying them." Jasper's laughed subsided into a smirk. Just then, Callie wandered in, apparently to gloat.

"I told you." She said pointedly, her hands on her hips. She was staring expectantly at Jasper, who turned to look at her.

"Ah, yes, I bow down to your mighty almightiness," He said, heavy on the sarcasm. She grinned and curtseyed, then looked to Edward. "Do we have hot chocolate mix?"

"No, but we have cocoa," Rosalie said, walking into the room with a smirk on her face. From the jar she held in her hand, she wasn't talking about a warm drink with marshmallows. Callie winced, and Edward looked at her, unaware of this ritual. "Cocoa butter, that is." Alice grabbed Callie by the hand and led her upstairs, following Rosalie.

Callie looked back at him, pleading him to save her with her eyes. Edward smiled, and shooed her away.

The girls had just finished helping Callie rub down. "You don't want stretch marks, Callie," they had said anytime she complained. After the third or fourth time, Callie stopped bothering. Now, she wandered down the hall to her room, where Edward was waiting on the chair in the corner.

"I feel like a piece of toast. Or a french-fry. Or French toast."

Edward laughed, and stood. She walked towards him and hugged him, her body sideways to avoid her bulging belly. Edward returned the embrace, arms holding her as close as they could to him. He couldn't help but relish in her warmth as she leaned her head against his chest. Neither person moved. They both looked out the window at the bright moon, refusing to let go.


	12. Mission

Callie began to doze off against him, and when her eyes finally shut completely, Edward lifted her carefully and carried her toward her bed. His surrogate sisters had certainly done a number on her; she was wearing a short silk slip, lacy and white, making her sun-kissed skin stand out in russet glory. Her lips shone with a nightly moisturizer and her eyes were soft and red from being wiped clean of make-up.

Her layered hair refused to be pulled back evenly, and it fell loosely from her head despite the hair band's best efforts. Even missing pieces, her ponytail cascaded like a red waterfall down her back and across the pillows. Edward didn't put her down right away, too concerned with watching her eyelids flutter with dreams.

With every intention to let her down carefully, Edward bent down and set her against the bed. He let her legs collapse to the pillow-top mattress, then went to remove his other arm from around her neck. There he found an issue. Callie had latched onto his arm as if it were a teddy bear. When he tried to pull away slowly, she whimpered, threatening to wake. Edward rolled his eyes at his predicament, not wanting to wake her.

Without warning, a thought popped into his head. There was enough room left on the side of the bed for him to lay…Edward held his breath. Should he lie next to her? Would she be upset? He didn't even answer his own questions before his arm slipped further around her neck and he pressed his chest against her back. He then pushed his hips against hers and let his legs mold to hers. Without realizing it, he exhaled. His eyes slid closed and he buried his face in her hair. He let his free arm lie across her side, his hand resting possessively on her belly. Despite the unusual warmth, he found himself playing with the idea of "our baby."

Facing the other way, Callie's eyes opened. She noticed Edward, laying next her, breathing evenly against her ears. She smiled, and her eyes closed again.

The next morning, Callie turned to see what appeared to be Edward, sleeping. Confused, she said, "I thought vampires couldn't sleep," thinking out loud.

Edward, eyes still closed, said, in an annoyed voice, "We can't."

Callie grimaced. "Sorry." Her stomach grumbled loudly. "Looks like a monster ate my baby and won't cough her up until I feed it something else." Edward laughed and helped her stand.

"Well, let's go satiate it then."

The two wandered downstairs, their fingers subconsciously entwined. The house had emptied during the night for a hunting trip.

"When do you eat?" Callie asked.

"Intermittently. I try to wait until you have something else to occupy you while I'm gone. For instance, Alice has every intention of a shopping trip this weekend. I'll probably go while you're in Seattle."

Callie nodded. Despite her wardrobe overload just a day before, she was excited to go shopping with Alice. "Wouldn't Rosalie come?"

Edward shrugged. He put some bread into their toaster and pressed the button down, then turned towards her. "Shopping trip aside, we have a mission today. We have a meeting at two o'clock at the school to get our work, as well as clean our lockers."

Callie nodded. "So this is like maternity leave for me, then?"

"Indeed. In fact, I can use this as community service on my college applications."

She laughed. "Glad to do something for you."

Edward smiled. "You do a lot for me, Callie." She smiled back. The toast popped up right then, and halted their conversation as he prepared it for her.

She ate quickly, especially when she noticed that she had slept till nearly noon. After eating, she stood, carefully maintaining her balance as she walked briskly to Edward, kissed him gently (with a sad attempt at nonchalance) on the cheek, and said "Thank you." She then proceeded back upstairs, shutting the door only a crack.

Edward stood in place, stunned. Allowing a few minutes, he shook out of it and ran after her. Not even thinking of knocking before entering, he pushed the door open, too concerned with his own curiosity.

Callie hadn't heard him. The room was dark with the light of an overcast day, and she stood by the window, facing away from him, shadowed by the brighter outdoors. Her naked silhouette imprinted in his mind and he was sure that his heart skipped a beat. Before she noticed, he closed the door and walked back downstairs slowly.

He was sure he had just seen a goddess, though his senses told him otherwise. The logical side and the romantic side of him warred as he sat in the kitchen. Either way, he had never seen anything more beautiful.

Moments later, she returned, wearing a yellow gingham dress and a sunflower in her hair. She carried a white cardigan over her arm and a pair of strappy white sandals in her hand and smiled at him.

To cover up his abashed embarrassment, Edward said, "You look lovely, darling, but we have an hour to wait before we have to leave."

Callie noticed his pretense, but let it slide, instead rocking back and forth on her heels. She said, "I was thinking we could clean our lockers first." Edward shrugged an agreement, and they gathered a backpack and left.

The drive over was quiet, except for Callie, humming along to a song on the radio. "You have a lovely voice," He said at some point. She blushed, but didn't stop humming.

They were at the school sooner than he would have liked. They had half an hour before their meeting. They checked in at the office, and were admitted to their lockers. They went to Edward's locker first, which was all but empty, except for his books. He slipped them into the bag, then they headed towards Callie's.

Her locker was a different story. Just the door was enough of a mess for both of them, hung with ultrasound pictures and photos of her and her brother. He was tall, like her, but without the disproportioned torso (maybe that had to do with her pregnancy). They had the same brilliant green eyes and thorough tan, though his hair was sun-bleached to blonde. He had a mechanic's build; strong arms and big hands, broad shoulders. Edward couldn't imagine him in a courthouse like Callie's parents had intended. It appeared they didn't get much of what they wanted from their children.

Callie pulled down the pictures and removed her pile of books, as well as her sketchbook, her notebook, and a stack of junk from the top shelf. The backpack was brimming by the time she was finished, and even Edward bowed under the weight. When the locker was empty, Callie stood and gathered the trash.

Right then, a classmate of hers walked by, a plastic smile on her face. "Callie! Where have you been?" The classmate didn't look at Callie so much as she did Edward. He ignored her.  
"Oh, doing pregnant things. How are you, Jessica?" She said uncomfortably.

Jessica Stanley. That was her name.

"I'm great, but Callie, don't be rude," She laughed obnoxiously, "Who's your friend?"

"This is Edward. I'm sure you've seen him around."

She nodded, grinning voraciously at him. Then, for a moment, she was distracted. "Speaking of seeing people around, your brother was here over lunch today. He was looking for you."

Callie immediately perked up. "Did you talk to him?"

"Of course. I told him you were at the Cullens'." She gestured to Edward with another fake smile. "He asked where they lived, but I don't know. Maybe you could invite me over sometime." She got closer to Edward.

"What then?" Callie demanded with some urgency.

"He said he'd check with some old friends." Jessica was put off by her insistence and Edward's silence, and said, "See ya," soon after.

When she was gone, Callie looked to Edward. "That must mean…He must be up at La Push." Edward didn't have to read her mind to know what she was thinking. She wanted to go to the reservation. Immediately, he said no.

"That's not fair, and you have no right to tell me where to go," she said harshly. In retrospect, Edward realized that telling a girl whose parents repressed her every activity for fifteen years what to do was probably not on his list of effective persuasive skills.

"Callie, it's too dangerous," He said, taking a more tactful route. She bit her lip.

"I have to see my brother, while he's still there. Lunch was only an hour ago. I bet I could find him."

Edward didn't have time to remember the meeting before she was waddling full speed out towards the parking lot. "Callie, I'm not driving you there. I can't cross into the werewolf territory."

She glared at him. "Then I'll call Jacob."

"What?" He exclaimed. "Are you entirely insane?" With no other alternative, he got in the car, motioning for her to hurry. "Come on. I'll drive you to the border."

"I have my license. I can drive the rest of the way."

Edward grimaced. He wasn't really willing to part with his favorite Volvo, but the desperation on her face didn't give him a choice. He agreed. They were out of the parking lot in a short moment, and speeding up the road, well on their way.

They were quiet until the car skidded to a halt ten feet before the werewolf border, though Callie wouldn't know that. Edward got out of the car and helped her out as well, and, before she got in the driver's seat, he said, "Be careful."

The words made Callie stop, and she looked him in the eye. She bit her lip, thinking hard but not allowing Edward to hear her thoughts. Suddenly, she wrapped her arms around him and pushed her lips against his. Without thinking, he clutched her to his chest and deepened the kiss.

She pulled away too soon and jumped into the car with surprising agility. Without making any adjustments, she took off, knowing Edward would wait where he was for any sign of danger.


	13. Clash

Callie floored it as she shot down the narrow road. Within minutes she was in front of Jacob Black's small home. She practically fell out of the car. From inside, Jacob heard the commotion, and he quickly ran out the door. "Callie?"

She ran to him, embracing him tightly. Unexpectedly, he sniffed her. "Callie, you reek and you got really huge. Have you been taking good care of yourself?"

She grimaced. "That's the welcome I get?" She laughed with him before remembering her mission. "Jake, have you seen my brother?"

"Yeah, he's over with Leah on First Beach… Why?"

"I have to talk to him, now." Jacob nodded, recognizing the urgency in her voice. He picked her up and took off across the reservation towards the beach. Briefly, Callie was annoyed that she couldn't move fast enough to keep up with everyone around her.

As he ran, he spoke to her with the control of a Kenyan marathon runner. "You know, you Dawson kids just come and go with the wind. We haven't seen either of you in months, and now, you're both here."

Callie smiled, reassured that she was going to see her brother. Jake, however, tensed under her. Her smiled faded; he only got tense when he was uncomfortable. "What's wrong, Jake."

"I just missed you, Cal. You have my kid…"

Though he wasn't looking at her, he could tell that her eyes narrowed simply in the tone of her voice. "What are you getting at, Jacob?" She asked sharply. He didn't reply.

When they skidded to a stop in the sand, Callie looked down the beach, seeing a group of silhouettes a half mile down. Jacob needed no direction, and he ran towards the group. Before they even reached their destination, they heard the conversation.

"Why do you need to know where those leeches live, anyway?" Asked a male voice, which turned out to be Embry.

"Because they kidnapped my sister. Thanks, guys." They saw Nate's form kiss a smaller form, presumably Leah, then start running.

Callie yelled for him at the top of her lungs. Nate stopped and looked around, his posture revealing his confusion, until he spotted them.

"Callie!"

She leapt out of Jacob's arms, stumbling through the sandy earth, sometimes on her hands and knees, as she ran towards her brother. When they were close enough, he lifted her by the armpits and swung her around. He set her down again, and held her close.

"I've missed you, squirt," he said, quietly. Callie was teary-eyed.

"I'm so sorry, Nate. I'm sorry I didn't tell you where I was." She mumbled incoherently into his chest, wetting his shirt. He didn't let go, but he stood back a little.

"Look how big you're getting!"

She grinned. "I know, right?"

"Is it a girl, like you said?"

"Of course!" She laughed. He hugged her again. "Finally, someone who believes me!"

Jacob interrupted her. "What's this about leeches?"

Callie winced. Nate looked at her. "Did they kidnap you?"

"Wait, you know?" Callie was confused. The only reason she knew is because she had figured it out, years ago.

"Come on, I'm only so much dumber than you, Cal."

She blushed. "No, they didn't kidnap me. They helped me. They gave me a home."

Every werewolf was on his feet by now. Jacob grimaced. "So that's why you reek. Bunch of bloodsuckers."

"Hey, back off, Jake. They did more than you did." Nate immediately resumed his big brother position. Callie suddenly heard whispers about how they hadn't gotten along since Nate found out about Callie's pregnancy, which was why he hadn't been around, even to see Leah.

"So you're siding with them, now?" said Quil, another werewolf friend of Jacob and Embry. He went to stand next to Jacob. The boys were suddenly menacing.

Nate sneered. "I'm not siding with anyone, I'm standing up for my sister."

"And Dr. Fang and his clan."

Callie could only assume he meant Carlisle. "Back off. They're good people."

"They're vampires," Jacob yelled.

"You're a werewolf!" Callie yelled back. "It's not like you're more normal!"

"You're staying here," Jacob said, suddenly solemn. "There is no way a bunch of mosquitoes are raising my kid."

Callie was immediately surprisingly feral. "You and your commands can stay the hell away from me and my baby, Jacob."

"Fine, we'll take out the vampires with you there."

"What? Where the hell did that come from?" The boys were already heading towards the woods. Callie ran after Jacob, grabbing him by the shoulder. "No, don't!"

Jacob pushed her off of him, and she fell to the ground. Sunken into the sand, a look of shock and dismay colored her face. Nate had him by the neck in a second. "Don't you ever touch my sister again," He said. His hold did little but delay the group, and soon Nate was on the ground next to Callie.

The next moment was a blur. Suddenly, Edward, Emmett, Jasper, and Rosalie were on the beach behind Callie, and Alice was helping her stand. The boys turned with furious grins on their faces. Soon, Sam Uley and a number of other werewolves were at their side.

"Damn, bloodsuckers. If we didn't have a reason to kill you before, we sure do now." Jacob flexed his hands. Edward rushed towards him, and Jacob began to run as well.

Callie somehow got between them and screamed "Stop!"

Out of pure surprise, the two of them halted.

"Don't you dare fight."

"Callie, get out of the way," Jacob growled.

"No."

"Callie," Edward pleaded in a softer tone. "Please, don't get in the middle of this."

"No. Obviously, I am in the middle of this." She sighed. "Stop waving your junk at each other. I'm tired of this ridiculous bravado." Something in the defeated tone of her voice made everyone stop. They just watched her. She walked towards the woods, motioning for Edward and his siblings to come with her. They followed her, walking backwards in a circle around her.

"Callie!" Nate called. She stopped, turning to face him. "Don't leave again."

"Then come with us."

Nate looked at the werewolves. He looked at his lover, Leah. She pleaded for him to stay with her eyes, but it was overwhelmed by stares of scrutiny from the rest. He shot a sad look at her before running to join his sister.

As they disappeared into the woods, Callie heard the lonely cry of the only female werewolf. Soon, it was joined by the howling of the others, and though there were many moans, they were still as homely and lonely as if they were miles apart.

Nobody spoke on the way home. Much to Nate's chagrin, Emmett carried him on his shoulders as they tore through the forest. Edward held Callie close to him, holding in the urge to say, "I told you so," especially when her tears began to stain his shirt. Alice had disappeared to claim Edward's car, and when they hit a road, she was there waiting.

Emmett let Nate down, and he immediately went towards the car, nodding an awkward thanks to the burly vampire. Edward carefully set Callie on her feet.

"Nate," She said, waddling over to him, "I'm sorry."

"Don't be. I wanted to find you, and I have." He embraced her fondly.

Edward was by their side in a split second. "I'll be riding with you," He said, opening the passenger door for Nate. Callie understood immediately, and she sat in the backseat.

"Thank you," was all she could choke out to the others before closing the door. Edward sat in the back with her, and soon, Alice was driving away. Edward held her close, acting as a seatbelt. Nate noticed this right away. He looked at Callie.

"So, you've made some friends."

Callie smiled, blushing a little. Nate reached his hand back to Edward. "Nathaniel Dawson. Pleased to meet you," He said, cordial as his sister.

Edward smiled despite himself. "Edward Mason Cullen. A pleasure." They shook hands. Nate smiled back.

"Thank you for caring for my sister." Despite his outer courtesy, his brain was awash with concern for Callie. He looked her over entirely, checking for bumps, scratches, and cuts. "You okay, Cal?" Edward smiled at the siblings. Callie too was too worried for her brother's health.

"I'm fine. You're an idiot," she said.

"Idiot, ey? How do you figure?"

"Trying to strangle a werewolf? Are you serious?"

Alice joined the conversation. "You tried to strangle a werewolf? Emmett's going to be so jealous!" She squealed.

Nate smiled at her. "I don't believe I've had the pleasure."

"Alice, naturally," she said, introducing herself with a flick of her hair. As with any human, Nate was stunned by her beauty. Somehow, however, his concern overwhelmed him.

"Lovely to make your acquaintance."

"Indeed," she agreed.

He had already taken notice that she paid little attention to the road. "I don't mean to be rude, but in the interest of my sister's safety, could you watch the road, please?" He said, making an effort to keep his voice even.

The others laughed in response.

"I suppose I'm not getting something, here?"

Callie smiled. "Alice can see the future. She's pretty set for driving."

"Of course," Nate said, bewildered. "Things just keep getting more interesting, don't they?"

Callie nodded. "And for the record, Edward here can read minds."

Nate coughed to hide his surprise, or maybe because of it. "That would have been a nice tidbit of information to have."

Edward grinned. He liked Nate already. So did Alice.

Callie changed the subject. "Nate, I tried to find you. What happened?"

"I left Mom and Dad's house. I came looking for you."

"Where do you live now?"

Nate scratched the back of his head. "Well, mostly my car." They turned onto the Cullens' driveway.

Callie's face fell. "You're living in the back of your VW?"

He shrugged. "Well, I got our college funds, as well as our regular savings, and transferred them to a private account, figuring I could just buy a place with that." He stopped. Callie remembered that her account had nearly 80,000 in it, and that didn't include Nate's, or their savings. "But," he continued, "I realized that you have a baby on the way…I didn't know what you'd need. So…I stayed in my car."

Callie rolled her eyes. "Well, we have an extra room or four," Alice said, right as they parked in front of the Cullen household. Nate's jaw fell open.

"I see that." Edward grinned, and they got out of the car. He and Alice walked ahead, and Nate fell behind to Callie, and said, "So, they're vampires?" Callie nodded. "Are they going to like, suck our blood out or anything?" She shook her head. "Okay," He said, reassured, as they walked in their door.

The others were home already, sitting in the living room with Carlisle and Esme. Upon their entrance, Callie introduced Nate to everyone. Carlisle stood and shook his hand, and the others nodded. During the introduction, Alice had whispered something in Emmett's ear, and he shot up. He put his hands on either shoulder, and looked Nate in the eye.

"You strangled a werewolf?"

Nate scratched the back of his head uncomfortably, and said, "Somewhat unsuccessfully."

"But you grabbed one by the scruff of the neck?" He nodded. Emmett turned back towards the others. "I like him."

Nate was immediately given a room near Callie's. Esme didn't even bother trying to convince Carlisle this time.

Later that night, after a decent dinner of leftovers that Edward had cooked for Callie two days ago, Nate was relaxing on his bed, watching television from a small screen hung on the wall. There was a knock on the door, and Callie walked in.

Nate turned the television off and looked at his sister. "So, you live with these guys, huh?" She nodded. "Jeeze, sis, first you get knocked up by a werewolf, then you move in with a bunch of vampires. What would Grandmother say?"

Callie laughed. "I'm not sure, but I bet it'd involve holy water." They laughed together.

"So what's the deal with these guys, then?"

"They're the best, Nate. I was living in a shelter for the longest time–"

He interrupted her. "So that's why I couldn't find you." Her face became confused. "Those things are confidential. No one can know where you are."

Callie nodded. She had forgotten that bit. "I'm sorry. I didn't really think about anything then, just living." She bit her lip.

Nate hugged her reassuringly. She smiled weakly. "So, go on with your story."

Her smile brightened. "Anyway, I kept going to school, but I got transferred from Gifford to some other dude, and there was Edward." Nate nodded, remembering the boy from the car. "I sat next to him, and he let me sit with them at lunch even when no one else would."

"What about your other friends? Jessica, Lauren?" Callie's face grew sad. Nate realized immediately what had happened, and he cursed the fickle friendships of high school. "Go on, Cal."

"So I had this baby attack, pretty much, and he helped me. Got me out of school. He tried to take me home, but when he found out I lived in a shelter, he took me to his family, and they invited me to live with them." Nate smiled, glad someone had helped his sister when he couldn't.

"Carlisle is a doctor, and he checked my baby out, and she's doing fine, you'll be glad to hear."

"I am glad," Nate agreed.

"They're all so amazing, Nate. They're vampires, but they've decided to live an alternative lifestyle. They only drink animal blood." Nate's stomach turned, but he hid it well. "They don't attack humans. Isn't that amazing?

"Alice loves shopping and parties, and she got me a whole wardrobe when I moved here. Rosalie fixes cars and shops with Alice, and she and Esme are just so helpful when it comes to my baby. They both always wanted one. I think you'll get on with Rose really well, what with your car obsession. Jasper reads as much as I do, and he's awesome to debate with, and Emmett is just a big teddy bear. He's really competitive but really fun."

"What about Edward?"

Callie blushed thoroughly. She didn't know for sure, but she thought Edward was listening to this conversation. "Edward…he is amazing. He plays piano perfectly, and he's the most selfless person I've ever met. He makes a mean plate of manicotti, and he has amazing taste in movies."

"You know, you never talked about Jacob like this."

Callie exhaled. "I don't think I loved Jake...certainly that is beyond my consideration at this point. He was just…everything they would hate. I liked it."

Nate knew she meant their parents. He scowled. Then he realized something. "You love him?"

She blushed even more, nodding shyly. Mentally, she called out to Edward. "_You hear that? I love you._"

In his bedroom, Edward smiled. Into the darkness, he whispered, "And I love you, Callie."


	14. Change of Plans

A/N: reviews, please? Sorry it's been so long. I could use the encouragement.

Callie retreated to her bedroom after hours of conversation with her brother. The exhaustion was visible in her eyes. There, Edward awaited her.

She smiled at him, and he smiled back. They shared no words. With no shame, Callie slowly undressed, then put on her silk pajamas. Edward's heart raced like a ghostly chariot. She took him by the hand, leading him towards her bed, then laid down. Edward's lips were graced with a small smile, and he slipped down beside her, wrapping his arm under her neck. She took his other hand and set it on her belly. She fell asleep like that, her back pressed to his chest, his face buried in her hair, just like the night before.

Edward was surprised that his elation didn't have him floating around the room. He had never felt so glorious before. Yes, they had lain together the night before, but she hadn't asked him to then. For the first time, he felt truly wanted.

The next morning, Callie awoke to his cool breath on her neck. She didn't move for a long while, but Edward knew she was awake. Eventually, he whispered, "Good morning, darling."

She smiled, stretching and rubbing her body against his. She turned over. "Ah, it's not a dream, then. How wonderfully lovely." Her smile grew. His grew in return. They were still, enjoying each others' arms.

Edward's face grew very serious all of a sudden, and Callie became concerned. "Edward?"

"Callie, we have something very serious to talk about."

"Yes…" She said hesitantly, confused.

He paused, listening to her thoughts run rampant. She was sure he would chastise her for her foray into the lands of the werewolves. He began, "Callie, I am a vampire."

"Yes, you are."

"That presents a problem."

"A problem involved what?"

"This relationship."

Her heart fluttered at the word, and her surprise was evident on her face at this turn in subject. "How so?"

Edward's tone was annoyed. "You are very, very breakable, Callie. I told you that I didn't wish to fall in love, and that was for a reason." He stopped his harsh tone, and gently touched her face. "However, you have made it impossible for me to feel otherwise."

Callie swallowed, and tried to keep her voice even. "Then you are in love with me." It wasn't a question, mostly because she knew if she tried to form a question, the inflection at the end of the sentence would break her voice.

Edward nodded, slowly, controlled. Callie, trying to keep her most mature face on, said, "I see." She sat up and looked towards the wall in an attempt to remain stoic. When she looked back, a bright smile illuminated his face. She lost all concentration and threw her arms around him. "Oh, Edward."

"I love you, Callie."

Tears formed in the corners of her eyes. "I love you too," she whispered.

Edward's mind set on his second resolve of the day. Yesterday, Callie had kissed him, without warning. In the surprise, this hadn't disturbed him terribly, but he wanted to prove his ability to kiss her on his own will.

"Will you stay still for a moment?"

Despite her ecstasy, she stopped moving. Edward sat up to look her in the eye. She stopped breathing as he leaned towards her. His aristocratic nose brushed her freckled cheek and he kissed the corner of her mouth. Casually, a thought regarding mouth crud floated to the forefront of her mind, and he smiled in good humor. He slowly kissed the other corner of her mouth before realizing that she still wasn't breathing.

"Breathe," He whispered sensually. She gasped, smelling his sweet breath before he gently placed his lips against hers.

Her lips were soft, slightly chapped with the night air, and eagerly pressing back. His curled up into a small smile, and he wrapped his arms around her torso. Her arms were around his neck soon, fingers entangled in his hair. In her mind (and thus in his) they had melted into each other. She thought nothing but a centrifuge could separate them in this liquid state called love.

Edward, meanwhile, was raging in many different ways. For the first time in his experience, his mouth filled with venom, without a desire for blood. Another first for him, he could feel himself actually responding to her touch, her kiss, her love. He could feel what she felt, and he understood the image of them mixing together. Finally, he felt alive.

After Callie and Nate had eaten breakfast, Carlisle called for everyone to join him in the living room. They gathered without complaint. Edward came in with his arm around Callie, and Nate came in arguing with Rosalie about the Lotus Elise. Emmett and Jasper came in from out of doors, where they had been wrestling, and Alice bopped down the stairs. When everyone was in attendance, he stood. "We have encountered a new and intriguing situation. Callie, in her excitement, has added another member to our family." He nodded to Nate. "However, she has also sparked a new conflict with the werewolves. Their willingness to not only hurt Callie but attack you," he gestured to his surrogate children, "is something we must take into consideration. Thoughts of peace seem further off than I had originally counted on."

Callie bit her lip. Nate, who had taken his place behind her, rubbed her back soothingly. Edward, at the same time, stroked her hair. She leaned against him, and Nate suddenly realized how things had changed. He briefly recalled his sister's relationship with Jacob Black, short-lived as it was. There were no sparks, no almost-visible line of electricity connecting them like existed between her and Edward. Jacob had been protective, more out of defending his masculinity than his girlfriend, while Edward's focus was entirely on the young girl in front of him, besides what he could spare for Carlisle.

"For now, our plans of bridging the gap between werewolf and vampire are on hiatus. We must wait for a more opportune moment."

The silence was thick for a moment, but Callie didn't wait long to slice right through it. "Is this my fault?" She asked quietly.

Carlisle considered her, then smiled gently. "I believe that had this not occurred, we would not have realized how volatile these creatures are." Only Edward truly noticed how carefully worded the sentence was. Callie nodded, still unsure. She heard the gears grinding to churn out each word perfectly in Carlisle's head. "Meanwhile, we have a baby to prepare for."

Callie became excited, and simultaneously humbled. "You do so much for me." She looked around the room at the vampires that had become her family. Jasper briefly looked indignant.

"Well, don't blame us. You're too damned cute." The seriousness never left his face, and he wandered out of the room towards the library.

Alice danced towards her. "Indubitably." Rosalie glided over behind Alice, and both helped her stand. "Come with us." Callie looked at the others, including her brother, encouraged by their smiled.

"This isn't going to involve cocoa butter, is it?"

They laughed, practically dragging her up the stairs with their excitement. Edward followed with Esme. The girls took her towards her the west wing, stopping one door short of the lilac room. Rosalie gently covered Callie's eyes with her crystal cool hands while Alice opened the door.

Inside, a small room with yellow walls and wide windows rested. Edward grinned as he saw the girls giggle in anticipation of Callie's reaction. Together they counted, "One…Two…Three!" Rosalie dropped her hands from Callie's face while Alice and Esme stood in, looking at Callie expectantly.

Callie gasped. The room was an impeccably decorated nursery, complete with cherry wood cradle, rocking chair, and bureau, a closet complete with baby clothes, blankets and at least a month's supply of diapers, a changing table, and a soft rug over the hardwood floors. In the late morning light, the yellow hues of the room were golden.

She ran in a wobbly fashion to hug the other women, reaching her oddly long arms around them all as they embraced her back. Then she turned, looking to Edward.

"This was your idea." It wasn't a question.

He couldn't keep the smile off of his face. "I have no idea what you're talking about." She waddled towards him, hugging him tightly. He kissed her forehead.

By this time, Nate, Carlisle, and Emmett had wandered up to see what the hubbub was about. They all nodded in masculine appreciation before wandering off, and Esme, Callie, Rosalie, and Alice just laughed.

88888888

Over the next month, Carlisle routinely checked Callie and her baby. The bureau in the nursery was slowly but surely filled with clothes that she personally picked out for her daughter. She painted the walls by hand with butterflies, trees, flowers, vines, and birds, assisted by Edward ("Finally," she had said, "Something I can teach you!"). Every night, Alice measured her belly after she had showered and was rubbed with cocoa butter while Rosalie braided her hair. Every night, she fell asleep next to Edward, waking with him at her side in the morning. For the next month, life was perfect.

Callie and Jasper were playing chess together one morning, Callie effectively winning, when the doorbell rang. Automatically, despite her swollen feet and baby due in less than three weeks, she stood to answer it. Jasper, in his concentration, failed to wonder who would ring their doorbell, until he heard the lock in the door unlatch.

He ran full speed to the door, pushing himself even harder when he heard Callie gasp. Edward, who had been upstairs, was next to him in a millisecond, and their jaws dropped with Callie's as they realized who was standing at the door.

"Leah Clearwater?"


	15. Early

Late the next morning, Edward and Callie wandered down the long staircase to get Callie some breakfast. On their way, however, they were interrupted by a desperate Alice. She glanced over Edward, shaking her head, before looking to Callie expectantly.

"Callie!" The poor girl almost jumped out of her skin. "You'll go shopping with me, won't you?"

"Uh…I know you haven't done the whole pregnant thing, Alice, but if you had, you'd know about the horrors of swollen feet. They hurt too much to go shopping for hours."

Edward smirked. Alice cried out in dismay. "No one will go with me! Nobody! Not Rosalie, Esme…not even Jasper. What a horrid day," she said, leaning against the wall and pouting.

Edward looked at Callie, catching her eye, before glancing up the stairs. Callie smiled, understanding, and said, "You know, Alice, I bet Leah could use some clothing."

They watched the idea play around in Alice's head. "Hmm," she said, nodding. She walked up the stairs between the two of them and disappeared into the hallway. They continued downstairs.

"Do you think that'll work?" Callie asked. Edward just smiled, shrugging. He poured her a bowl of Lucky Charms as she settled herself on a stool.

Halfway through finishing breakfast, they heard footsteps on the stairs, which meant only one thing. Alice didn't make footsteps; that meant she convinced Leah to go. They smiled at each other and went out into the foyer. There stood Leah and Alice, getting ready to go out. Leah was wearing one of Nate's shirts and a pair of jeans Esme might have given her, while Alice was in a miniskirt and a streamline jacket.

"…Going to get you an entire wardrobe! Of course, there's room in Nate's closet; he refused to let me buy him anything…"

"He got a choice?" Callie whispered. Edward snickered, and Alice shot a look of death across the room at them. "Right. Sensitive hearing."

Never taking his eyes from his intimidating surrogate sister, Edward said, "That's putting it mildly, my dear." He heard Callie's heart flutter at the endearment.

Alice snapped back to focus on Leah, and she began chattering on again. Leah, on the other hand, jumped back with surprise. She looked desperately to Callie for help. Callie shrugged and smiled, watching as Alice got caught up in her enthusiasm, catching Leah too. They were soon through the door.

Callie crossed herself solemnly, trying to joke, but something distracted her. It was Edward, clutching his chest, falling to his knees.

"Oh my god, Edward, I was kidding!"

His melting stopped mid-motion, and he looked up at her with a dazzling smile. "As was I," He said, laughing. Callie glared at him.

"Crosses. I can't believe I fell for it. You nearly gave me a heart attack! Jesus! I saw Jesus!" She went reeling away, trying not to smile. She started to fall, knowing Edward would catch her. Sure enough, he was there, and soon, she was off the ground. He kissed her gently and whispered, "I love you," before setting her down again. She stood up to respond, but what would have been a smile was suddenly a grimace. She clutched her stomach, her face turning red.

"Very funny, Callie, but you're not due for another two wee--" He was interrupted by a wet puddle on the floor. With naught but a moment's hesitation, he swept her back into his arms and shouted, "Carlisle!" as he ran out to the car. Carlisle was at his side in a flash, opening the door and the car doors in less than a second.

Edward sat in the back of his Volvo, Callie still in his arms. "Breathe, Callie, breathe for me." In response, she let out a long, low wail that shook the frame of the car. Esme was outside in a flash, and seated in the passenger side, ready to go. Carlisle took off.

The trip to the hospital, which would, at the speed limit, take fifteen to twenty minutes, took them only five. Edward was running her into the maternity ward before the other two could even get out of the car. Esme was calling everyone as they ran at close to human speed. By the time they got up the elevator, Callie was in a room with a doctor checking out her status.

Carlisle walked in the waiting room to see Edward pacing impatiently. He walked by the younger man, ruffling his hair paternally, before wandering back to Callie's room. The other doctor stepped aside when he walked in, immediately reporting on her wellbeing. "Thank you," Carlisle said, "I will take it from here."

The doctor nodded and left, returning only briefly to deliver a coat and some other doctoring essentials.

"Callie, do you want a shot to numb the pain?"

To say that she affirmed would be to understate her response.

Meanwhile, in the waiting room, Edward was wearing the varnish on the tiles thin. Because of the general public, he couldn't go into the room; he wasn't related to her, nor was he her spouse. For two hours he waited, worrying and anxious.

The seconds ticked by slowly. Edward was about to rip his hair out. Just as his nerves had had too much, Carlisle walked out slowly, removing his gloves. Edward was in front of him in a flash.

Carlisle smiled.

"It is a healthy, beautiful baby girl."

Edward took a moment to smile, but got back to business. "And Callie?"

"Very weak, but alive. Go see for yourself."

Edward rushed down the hallway to her door, bracing himself. When he opened the door, he thought his heart had stopped beating, before he briefly recalled that he hadn't one.

Sitting up slightly on the hospital bed was a largely depuffed love of his life, holding a bundle close to her chest. Edward walked to her with measured steps. She looked up at him, eyes shining.

When Edward was close enough, he reached towards her and she handed him the bundle. In his arms was a green eyed, black haired baby girl. She had the russet skin of her father and the freckles of her mother. Her eyes were wide open and looking up at him adoringly. She wrapped her tiny hand around his pinky and he sat on the bed next to Callie.

"How does it feel, Dad?"


	16. Name

The time flew as Edward stood, watching the world rush past him to take care of Callie and her new baby girl. Doctors came and went, Carlisle took a "break for sleep" to avoid suspicion. Esme never left her side. Leah and Alice arrived (Leah was in a brand new, highly stylish outfit), shortly followed by Rosalie and Emmett. Jasper came but lingered in the background, as the excitement could easily make him manic. Nate showed just later than the rest, seeing as his driving reflexes didn't allow him to go one hundred miles an hour down the curvy driveway of the Cullen homestead.

Before he knew it, it was tomorrow and Edward was in the car with Carlisle and Callie, driving back towards their home. Another flash and he was carrying her upstairs to her baby's room.

Callie stood on weak knees, her baby cooing and gurgling in her arms. She rocked the child slowly back and forth in her arms. Sunlight streamed through the yellow curtains and Callie glowed like an angel of all the things that Edward had ever wanted. He took her and the baby in his arms.

She looked up at him, teary eyed, and smiled. "My family," she whispered.

They stood like that in the dusty twilight, and the day finally slowed its pace enough that Edward could take in his surroundings. His love, in his arms. A child he could call his own. A smile snuck onto his face.

The little girl had a shock of thick black hair on her head already, and was no longer the wrinkly mess of a birth-day. Her skin was smooth and tan, her lashes long and thick like her hair. As if she knew she was being watched, she opened her green eyes and looked up at Edward.

"She's so…aware," he murmured. The child giggled. "Just like her mother. Have you picked a name?"

A smile grew on Callie's face, and she looked at her daughter. "Sephora means "bird" in Hebrew. I figured Sophie could be a nickname."

"Does your entire family have a habit of choosing long unusual names with common nicknames?" Callie's smile grew bigger.

"You like it." Edward nodded. "Why 'bird', though?"

Callie carefully pushed back the blankets that enshrouded Sophie. Between her shoulder and her tiny collarbone was a birthmark in the shape of a bird in flight. "I figured it was only appropriate."

"Sophie," he whispered. The baby's attention, which had never wandered from him or her mother, was sharper now. "Oh, yes. I think that's just right."

After a moment, they heard the door creak quietly, and turned to see Alice wince at the noise. "I was never good at being sneaky. It's not official yet, is it? You could still name her Alice!" Edward rolled his eyes and the three of them laughed lightly. "Sophie, huh?" Sophie redirected her attentions to Alice, who smiled even more.

The door creaked again. Callie rolled her eyes. "Well, you may as well all come in, then." One by one, the rest of the Cullen family, Nate, and Leah filtered in, crowding the nursery.

"So what name did you decide on?" Nate asked innocently. Callie eyed her brother and he smiled sheepishly, knowing he was caught. "I think Sephora is beautiful, and I think Sophie is perfect." Callie grinned and pressed her nose to Sophie's.

"Do you want to go to Uncle Nate?" Callie asked her daughter. Nate's smile grew tenfold as she passed the baby onto him. Even Leah, who seemed nervous before, was relieved and happy at Sophie's mischievous eyes and smirk.

Emmett looked over Nate's shoulder. "Jeeze, Edward, are you sure she isn't yours? I could tell that smirk from a mile away."

Callie looked more closely. "It _is _yours, Edward! Look!" Edward took the child in his arms and she grinned a crooked little smile up at him.

Watching her child in Edward's arms, Callie knew she had to tell his family what she had asked of him. She took a deep breath and said, "So, I have an announcement." Everyone's head turned towards her. "I have asked Edward," she paused, "To be Sophie's father. To adopt her as his own." Edward stepped towards Callie and looked to his family, nodded his confirmation and searching their minds for their responses. It took a moment for the reality of it to set in, but as soon as it did, Esme and Alice squealed with excitement and ran to embrace Callie. Jasper, Nate, Emmett, and Carlisle took their turns patting Edward on the back and shaking his hand.

Rosalie was more reserved; Edward sensed that it was emotionally hard for her. Callie must have sensed it as well, for she pulled away from the crowd and went towards the other woman. "I have a request for you," Callie said slowly. Edward saw the consideration she had taken, and when he heard her thoughts, he approved. "It would mean the world to me if you would be my baby's godmother." Rosalie would have blushed if she had blood in her veins. She stammered, trying to respond. Callie smiled and said, "Thank you, Rose. Thank you so much." She took the vampire's hand and patted it affectionately.

Rosalie's excitement overcame her, and she hugged Callie (while holding her breath). Edward took his cue and brought Sophie to his surrogate sister, who embraced the child as if she were her own. 'Maybe when Callie dies, you'll be all mine!'

Edward gave her a disapproving look. He knew it was one of those fleeting thoughts, however, and it was gone from his mind as soon as something more surprising came along.

Leah came out of the shadows all of a sudden; she had lingered away from the commotion, feeling unwelcome in the lives of these people. When she saw the child, however, she couldn't help herself. She was drawn to Sophie, her kin. She approached Rosalie without fear and held out her arms. Rosalie didn't hesitate to pass Sophie to Leah. Leah whispered something to Sophie then, and though even the vampires couldn't hear her, Edward heard her recite it in her mind.

"I will tell you the tales of our people," she murmured in Sophie's ear. "You will know your people, maybe even your father, but you will know who you are above all else. We are kin, little one, and I will teach you all I know."

She kissed Sophie's forehead, then handed her back to her mother.

"I think it is time we gave the new mother some rest," Carlisle said. Alice and Esme pouted, but didn't argue. Slowly, they left the room, followed by everyone else, leaving Edward with his daughter and Callie. She sat in the rocking chair, closing her eyes with a smile on her face. It wasn't long before she was asleep. Sophie was asleep herself, and Edward kissed her head, then Callie's, before carrying them both to bed in the lilac room.

A/N: It's a bit of fluff, yes. Don't worry. Conflict comes, whether we want it to or not. It'll come even faster if I get a couple reviews


	17. Attack

A/N: The plot thickens...

The moon was low and red on the horizon, throwing a morbid light through the window and over the family in their bed. Edward sighed with a quiet happiness that even in her sleep, Callie could feel. The world was at bay and he had a daughter that he could call his own. '_Beautiful Sophie...'_ There was nothing that could ruin this night, or so he thought.

In his relaxation, his mind wandered. He thought of the future, of raising Sophie with Callie. In his head, Callie was still young. Suddenly, something flickered across his mind. His eyes opened wide, seeing perfectly even in darkness.

"No…" He whispered. How could this happen? Of course; Alice couldn't see the werewolves.

"Yes." Jacob Black's voice came out of the shadows. "Be quiet, leech. You don't want to wake my daughter's mother." He spoke in more of a growl. "I just want the girl."

Edward slipped his arm out from under Callie. "Over my dead body."

"That won't be so hard, bloodsucker," Jacob said, leaping for the baby.

Edward intercepted him with such force that they flew through the drywall into Callie's room. Callie was shaken awake. Edward had Jacob by the neck, pinned to the ground. Sophie woke with a start and began to cry. In an instant, Jasper was at the door and about to help Edward attack.

"No! Get them out of here!" Edward barked. He lost his grip on Jacob and was thrown across the room. Jasper didn't hesitate, but held his breath and gathered both girls and running back through the house. He ran down the stairs and towards the front door, calling for Alice. She was by his side with the car keys, opening the door.

What they saw would have made their hearts stop beating. The house was surrounded by werewolves. Twelve of them. Emmett was behind them, all of a sudden, cracking his knuckles. "Two to one? Those odds are almost too good!"

Callie clutched onto Jasper with desperate abandon. Jasper tried to calm her and Sophie down, while saying, "Emmett, clear a path."

"Yes, sir," Emmett said, and he took off, followed closely by Jasper. Three werewolves came at them. They went for Sophie and Callie. Emmett sneered and grabbed one of them by the face, throwing him against the trees. The second was knocked onto his back by Alice's tiny foot. The third, though, took advantage of the downfall of his comrades, going straight for Callie. He got her by the neck with two paws before Emmett ripped off one of his legs. The howls of pain sent chills down the spines of the other werewolves. Carlisle and Esme were outside then, lunging for a werewolf each. Rosalie came round the house as well, grabbing a mutt by the tail and throwing him into a bush. Jasper, meanwhile, had run Callie and Sophie to the meadow where Callie had first learned their secret.

Edward showed up suddenly, scowling. "Jacob got away," He said sourly.

"What about Nate and Leah?" Alice said from across the lawn. When no one answered her, she ran back to the house. Edward followed her, while Emmett knocked the final two werewolves' heads together. Rosalie ran after Jasper. Carlisle and Esme split up, Esme running after Rosalie and Carlisle running upstairs.

In their room, Leah was holding Nate in her lap. He was bleeding badly, as was she, but she was healing. He was not.

Carlisle looked at the wounds as objectively as he could. "There's nothing I can do, medically." Edward looked at him closely, as did Leah. She swallowed hard and said;

"Change him into one of you."

"Leah…"

"No! Save him!" She set him down gently, and stood, leaping through the window. The glass shattered everywhere, and they watched as she went in the direction of the meadow.

Carlisle looked at Alice. She nodded. "He'll make it. I'll get the morphine from the kitchen."

Barely conscious, Nate whispered, "You keep morphine in the kitchen?"

"Well, you never know," Edward said.

"Huh."

"Edward," Carlisle interjected, "find Callie and Sophie." Edward left the room immediately and bolted for the forest, following the thoughts of his family. In the lawn, he saw Emmett carefully tying up each unconscious werewolf.

"Wouldn't want them to disappear again," Emmett said as Edward ran by. Halfway through the forest, he could still hear him whistling. He also heard the cries of his family.

"No!" Rosalie screamed. He ran faster, breaking the edge of the meadow to see her racing after a werewolf. In the center, amongst the wildflowers, sat Jasper and Esme and Callie, who was bleeding as badly as her brother was.

"Where's Sophie?" He shouted unnecessarily. Jasper's thoughts told him all he needed to know; Leah had run through, surprising them, and sweeping up Sophie in her passing. Only Rosalie reacted fast enough, chasing the werewolf into the woods.

Edward rushed to Callie's side, where Esme was using shreds of her skirt to try and stop the bleeding. Jasper was using every ounce of his energy to keep Callie's heart at as low a rate as he could to keep the bleeding down. Edward stroked his lover's hair, still red as fire despite the light fading from her green eyes. He bit his lip, unsure of what to do. The idea of changing two humans in one day was preposterous, but what could he do? He couldn't lose her.

Alice suddenly was in the clearing, clothes straining against her body with her speed. "Do it, Edward, now! She's going to die!" Those words were all Edward needed; he couldn't risk losing her. Alice carried a clear bottle and a syringe in her hands, and it took Edward a minute to realize it was morphine.

"Morphine? Genius!" Exclaimed Jasper. Alice loaded the syringe at lightening speed and injected Callie over and over until the bottle was empty.

Jasper's brief excitement bled over into Edward's mind. Right before he bit her, he thought, "I'll have her, forever."


	18. Transformation

A/N: I wrote most of this before Breaking Dawn, so I apologize for the discrepancies. I'm going to keep it like this, I think, just because BD was sort of crap.

"Do you think I used too much morphine?" Alice whispered. There were other whispers, heavy breathing.

"I think so, but do we have enough blood?" Jasper asked.

"We have enough blood, dude." Emmett said, annoyed. "I drained twelve bears and didn't drink a drop, just filled a hundred and thirty water bottles. There is definitely enough."

"A hundred and thirty? Holy hell." Jasper said. Emmett nodded.

Edward looked at Carlisle. "Will she remember Sophie? What happened?"

"Either way, we'll have a difficult time explaining Rosalie's disappearance– when she gets back, that is." There was resignation in Carlisle's voice.

Someone was stroking her hair. She could feel the ridges of their fingerprints pulling at each individual hair on her head. There was no blood in the room except her own.

"We'll have to keep her away from Nate for a long time. Until they both have it under control. Otherwise, they'll tear each other apart," Esme said sadly.

Everyone's tone of voice was mournful, but Edward couldn't quite relate. _'Forever…We'll be together for all time.'_ He couldn't help but realize that this was the excuse he had been looking for to change Callie. He bit his lip, ashamed of himself, but unwilling to take it back. He knew the truth of it. This made both of their lives, their life together, much easier to work with.

She was already more beautiful. Her hair now shined like a bonfire even in the dark. Her freckles didn't fade, but her skin was as white as the moon. Her eyes were rimmed in long, thick, black lashes and her lips seemed fuller. Her wounds were gone completely and there were no scars on her body anymore. She still looked undeniably like the old Callie, but it was as if everyone was seeing her through rose-colored glasses.

Her eyelids flickered, and suddenly, from beneath those lashes, she looked up at them with blood-red eyes. Edward's breath caught in his throat.

'_Did I do the wrong thing?'_

They left him alone with her after she was given six bottles and satiated enough to think. He gave her another one with a bendy straw in it to sip on while they talked.

"Do you know who you are?"

She sipped and nodded. "I'm Callie." Her voice was perfectly melodious.

"Do you know what you are?"

She bit her lip in a way that was so like old Callie that Edward suddenly felt a pang of regret.

"A vampire."

"Do you remember your life?"

Her brow furrowed. "A bit. Flashes and pieces."

"Nate?" Her face was blank. "Carlisle? Esme? Jasper?" No response. "Jacob? Leah? Anyone?" She shook her head. "Do you remember me?"

She looked him straight in the eyes. Hers were becoming brighter, shimmering with the golden tinge of being satiated. He thought he saw a flash of recognition, but then she became confused.

"What's wrong?"

She put a hand on her chest. "I'm so used to my heart pounding in my ears when I think of you. It's weird, not having it there."

Edward was caught between joy at her memory of him and terror. He hadn't thought about her heartbeat, feeling her pulse in her entire body as it reclined against him. The regret overwhelmed him, though he kept his face as smooth as stone.

Despite the façade, she realized exactly what was in his head and said, "Don't worry, Edward. I'm here."

Her voice was still her own, and it comforted him, but a question formed in his head. "How did you know…?" She simply shrugged.

"You're not that hard to read, Edward."

His brow furrowed. "Yes, I am."

"There's no reason to get defensive."

He pressed his lips together for a second. _'She reads me like a book,'_ he thought to himself. _'Is that her skill?'_

"You're right. There's not." He stood, handed her another bottle filled with blood, and said, "I'll be right back. I have someone to check on."

She noted the truth in his voice and nodded. _'I wonder who.'_

Edward rushed down the hall to where Carlisle was tending to Nate.

"Callie doesn't remember anything, Carlisle. Nothing but me. And I think she has a special sort of skill."

"What do you mean?" Carlisle said, standing.

"I think she can see right through me."

"Like x-ray vision?"

Edward rolled his eyes. "No, like, through my pretenses."

Carlisle coughed. "Edward, you're still in many ways a teenage boy. Your pretenses aren't that hard to see through."

Edward glared at his surrogate father. "I think she can read my motives, too, and tell when I'm lying. Not just guess it, but know it. It's strange."

"We'll have to keep an eye on that one. Meanwhile, Nate hasn't woken up yet."

"Should I be worried?"

Carlisle shrugged. "Callie woke early. Give him another few hours."

Edward looked at Nate, laying on a leather couch. His musculature was much more defined, like Emmett's, and his hair had turned platinum in its shine.

The morphine had apparently done its job; Nate was quiet but tense. Edward tried to keep out of his head, not willing to know how it felt. "Think of me if you need me," he said, getting up. He wandered back to Callie.

In her room, she was examining every small trinket she could get her hands on, amazed at the new and sudden clarity she was privy to.

"Callie?"

"I heard you come in," she said without stopping her observations. "I also heard your conversation with Carlisle. You think I have a special power?"

Edward nodded hesitantly. She paused for an infinitesimal fraction of a second, as if she was tucking the thought away in her head, then said, "Nate. My brother." He nodded again. "He is a vampire too, now?" Another nod. "That is probably for the best." She was talking at the speed of light and Edward found it hard to get a word in edgewise.

"I'm thirsty," she said. Her thirst wasn't as bad as her desire to get out and test out her muscles.

Edward smiled wryly. "I can read your thoughts, you know."

"How could I forget?"


	19. Secret

A/N: For the record, new readers, this was in no way based on Breaking Dawn. The entire plot was set out before I even set about reading the book. This is a short chapter, I figured I'd throw it out here for you all, seeing how I haven't updated in ages. I'm trying to rework the last few chapters so they don't suck...which they do...for now. Sorry reviews will inspire me. Feel free to message me with your ideas and opinions, too.

It was a year, he thought. It must have been just under a year. One year of living with the woman he loved, months of her slow adjustment to her body, her thirst, her skills. A year of remembering, slowly but surely, her life, from her childhood forward. It was blurry and vague, but she didn't care too much. She was a little preoccupied with a new array of senses and sensations to bother with things gone. After all, she hadn't left any friends or family of any value to her behind, as far as she could tell, so she had nothing worth remembering.

They had moved north, far into Canada, in the meantime. Edward recalled processing Callie's papers. She had died due to complications after childbirth, as did the child. Carlisle signed off on this, easily persuading his colleagues and lawyers. It wasn't so uncommon. Nate was filed as a disappearance, an implied suicide due to the loss of his sister.

At the false funerals, Edward met Callie's parents. They didn't cry at the closed caskets. Kids from the high school came, naturally, with the false pretense of caring about their lost classmate. Edward had wanted to shake all of them and scream in their faces, just for their lies, remembering how they had treated his love like a pariah during her pregnancy. His control came from the knowledge that Callie was still alive and well... well, not alive. But well.

Callie was pristine in comparison to most newborns. She very easily saw the truth in others and at the same time, the truth in herself. She knew very well what she was and what she wanted to be, what she would regret later on. Humans were no temptation, really. It was like opting for water instead of wine; of course wine tasted better, but she wouldn't get drunk on water.

Edward was at her side quite constantly. Emmett had followed Rosalie. Alice watched out for both of them, and Jasper had been putting all of his efforts into calming Esme ("Of course they'll come back," he murmured, when his powers weren't enough). Sophie had become something of a secret; the Cullens were unwilling to bring it up. Callie knew something was being withheld, but not what it was. She didn't notice the patch of emptiness in her heart, thinking it had come with the vampirism, maybe, like all the space in her mind. While she was changing, Jasper had stripped the nursery and ridded it of the contents.

Callie had daydreams, like visions almost, of her daughter. Edward did what he could to dismiss them, hoping that this would be remedied either by Rosalie's return or by the maturing of Callie and Nate both; after all, the Cullens could not attack the Quileutes without their entire coven, not with the recent hike in numbers that the werewolves experienced.

Nate, meanwhile, was a little harder to handle. Carlisle speculated that males usually were. Stronger than all of them, especially without Emmett there, it took three of them to hold him back, or his sister had to be involved. Their bond was not broken by death or this strange rebirth. He didn't remember his neice, either, luckily. It was easier to hide it, in case Sophie was never recovered, then to pile this on their psyches unnecessarily. This is how the Cullen family rationalized their secret.

The secret was carefully kept until Rosalie came home, Emmett at her side.

The image of her daughter came rushing back to Callie; dusty, dark images of her daughter's birth and her name and her abduction right as Callie faded from life. She recalled as Rosalie sped after Leah into the woods, and she counted on her fingers the time.

It all passed through her mind in a second, like a fantasy, almost. "My daughter?"

Rosalie shook her head. Emmett grimaced. Callie saw the truth in their eyes. The werewolves had her daughter still, safe-guarded by at least four of them at a time, as well as a thick collection of shotguns and a constantly threatening circle of fire. The couple had attempted an attack, barely escaping with their bodies intact.

Edward recalled the fight. He remembered Emmett tying them up as he ran towards Callie. When Rose took off, it wasn't long at all before Emmett's priorities had shifted. If only he had stayed…

Edward didn't blame Emmett, though, of course. They were all quite busy saving Callie and Nate, which was more important than keeping a pile of werewolves bound up.

Callie bit her lip, a tendency she had retained from her human years. She nodded her thanks to them, then retreated to her room.

They were welcomed home heartily, but for the bad news.

Amidst the celebrations of a family rejoined, Nate slipped away to find his sister.

"How you doing, Cal?" His slang sounded strange in conjunction with his slippery-smooth voice.

She didn't answer. She didn't want to talk about it, to blame Leah, her brother's ex-lover. She didn't want to argue or think. He ruffled her hair and left her alone.

Days passed and Callie stayed in a self-inflicted seclusion. Edward caught glimpses of her mind. She saw fire and teeth and the moon and her daughter's perfect face. She was making a decision. Alice confirmed this with her flickering visions that were slowly taking shape.

Finally she stepped out of her dark room, down the stairs, into the foyer. She cleared her throat quietly, knowing everyone would hear her, and they did.

They gathered rather slowly, as if approaching a dangerous animal or a child with a gun and an attitude problem.

"We will save her."

Of course, no one disagreed, maybe out of realization that she would rip them to shreds in her passion, maybe out of their similar thoughts. It was logical, anyway. They outnumbered the six experienced werewolves with their nine vampires, ignoring the young changlings. They could gather Sophie up and run right over the dogs. It wouldn't matter how they did it; they would win. Alice said it. Callie heard the truth ringing in her own words. Between the two of them, there wasn't any doubt.

"Just a little more time," Callie murmured amidst the preparations. It slipped between her perfect lips again and again.


	20. Reconnaissance

A/N: It's a difficult part in the story. I'm trying my hardest to get it out to you. Sorry it's taking so long.

Edward took Callie in his arms, holding her as everyone gathered in the front yard, preparing to bolt through the forests towards La Push. She had been distant from him through the planning, and he knew from her thoughts that she was bitter for his secret. As he held her, she fumed slightly, trying desperately to resent him for the withholding of her daughter.

"Try to understand," he whispered, "I did it for you. No good would have come from a premature attack, Callie, and I couldn't have you hurt." She could hear the honesty in his velvet voice, but she could also sense the attempt at persuasion. She scowled.

"Do not try and sway me," she spat sourly.

"I'm only trying to love you," he said.

Her angry complexion melted into a pout rather quickly, as if her resolve was already soft as butter. She muttered an apology, then enjoyed his embrace more thoroughly.

"Come on, love muffins, I have to show this newbie what fighting is all about!" Emmett shouted, taking off with Nate into the woods at top speed. Jasper and Alice were next, with Carlisle and Esme close behind and frowning. Edward and Callie were about to go as well, when Rosalie stopped Callie.

"I'm sorry, Callie," she said stiffly. "I never meant to fail."

Callie bit her lip. "We'll succeed tonight, Rose. Thank you for trying…and welcome home."

Rosalie nodded and ran into the shadows of the trees. Edward looked to his lover compassionately, took her hands, and led her into the wilderness.

They ran for miles, enjoying the wind as they traversed miles in instances, and regrouped at the border of the reservation, not willing to enter without the whole group. Emmett spoke first.

"There's a dog doing rounds," he said, "but it passed just before we got here without sensing us. We should head in now."

"Or we could take it out," Nate said playfully.

"Yeah, eliminate one," Rosalie agreed.

"No," Jasper refuted. "Taking out one will alert the others. We need them all surprised so they can't surprise us."

"As if they could sneak up behind us with that stench," Emmett said sourly, remember the awful smell.

Edward spoke up. "We should go in now, attack right where Sophie is. If we can grab her without killing any of them, that'd be best."

Callie growled at the suggestion of sparing them, but didn't disagree. At that, the family took off once more, this time in the perfect formation for reconnaissance.

* * *

The wolves were more prepared then the Cullens had expected, and as they approached, Edward, picking up the thoughts of a rogue dog, sent Nate to take it down. The werewolf had his daughter.

Nate took off willingly, the idea of apprehending his niece and taking down a wolf terribly exciting to him. It might be the only wolf going down tonight, and he was glad to take the opportunity.

Only after Nate was gone did Edward pick up the second rogue's thoughts. They were going to trade Sophie to confuse Nate. They had thought ahead, anticipating the choices of the vampires. This bother Edward, and he sent Rosalie, who growled with pleasure and took off after Nate.

Edward took a moment to think, "_Hell hath no fury like a woman scorned_," before they descended upon the small town.

Callie took the lead, immediately searching out Jacob with a snarl. They just had to fight the dogs, not kill them, for long enough so that Sophie could be gathered up. Callie, however, had no intention of stopping at a few scrapes. Edward knew this. He didn't stop her.

The scuffle started. Biting and clawing made up the background music to the melody of growls and screams.

* * *

Nate shot deftly through the trees, blurring with the scenery, following the scent. It was somehow familiar, but the familiarity was too mussed with the reek of dog that he ignored it. Among the smells was that of a baby. He followed it.

It was a surprise when Rosalie appeared beside him, perfect hair rippling furiously in the wind. She mouthed "Two wolves," and that was all it took.

"You get the kid," he said, knowing she would not fail. He followed her until the trail split, then ran west to her north.

Callie couldn't find the alpha dog, and was contented to terrify the young wolves out of the way of the fight. She knew they had nothing to do with this plan, no say in the happenings, and would rather they didn't get hurt.

The numbers were greater than they had expected from Rosalie's reports, even without Jacob. They were handling the situation, of course. Edward was just waiting for the return of Nate and Rose, so they could leave this all behind.

He noticed Callie's thoughts, suddenly driven to distraction. She had caught Jacob's scent and began to follow it. He hadn't the time to chase after her, though. Esme had her hands full with Embry, and she needed help.

Callie wrinkled her nose, trying the air once again. Jacob was inside?

She opened the door cautiously to see him sitting at a table too small for his height. He eyed her without speaking.

"Where's my daughter?" She whispered.

He scowled. "She is my daughter as well, leech."

It didn't take any more than that to send Callie leaping through the air, razor-sharp nails slicing at him already. Her fury could not be contained, and the wolf was on the ground in a split second. She held him down with her impressive strength, claws digging into his flesh and teeth bared. "Give me one reason not to kill you, you worthless mutt," she growled into his face. He wrinkled his nose in disgust, but looked to the side of the table he had sat at.

There, in the shadows, was her daughter.

* * *

Rosalie was on the wolf in less than two minutes. She dived through the underbrush and pinned him by the neck to the ground. There was no baby.

"Where is she?" Rosalie's beautiful face disappeared in a monstrous sneer, and the young wolf feared for his life. He didn't answer fast enough, and her impatience manifested itself in a swift blow to the head that would take weeks to heal. When she had a moment to look, she noticed a soft pink blanket in the clenched fists of the brain-dead brute. She took off towards Nate.

He was already heading towards her, and they almost collided.

"It was," she started.

"A decoy," he finished.

Together, they growled and turned towards the settlement.


	21. Intervention

A/N: It's short, but it's almost over. 3

Edward's mind was immediately flagged with Callie's thoughts as he saw little Sophie through her eyes. He bolted towards the cabin that he could smell her in, literally chucking werewolves out of the way, leaving a trail of mangled mutt-limbs in his wake.

Meanwhile, Callie and Jacob glared at each other in the dim light of the small room. "You can't take my daughter away from me," Callie growled.

"I don't see how you care. It took you a year to come for her. I think," he paused, mocking her, "that qualifies as neglect."

Callie lunged at him, only to be stopped by Edward, who, at light speed, had opened the door and grabbed her. "Not in front of Sophie, my love," he whispered paternally.

Jacob heard him anyway. "Yes, not in front of _my_ daughter. You know, it's not like a leech could even raise a child." His lips curled up in a half sneer, half grin.

The words hit her deep, and mentally, she stumbled. Jacob took advantage of this; he was on top of the table and leaping through the air towards Callie, shifting into a wolf as he went. He reached out a long-clawed paw, ready to swat at her and hold her down. He was preparing to tear her apart.

Edward was too fast, though. Mid-air, Edward grabbed Jacob's extended paw, yanking it with a sickening crack to an unhealthy backwards position. He, at the same time, shoved his other hand at Jacob's chest, breaking the ribs. Jacob went flying across the room, hitting the wall and cracking the wood.

Edward looked towards Callie, and said quietly, "Get Sophie." Callie swiftly walked past Jacob's mangled but breathing body and picked up her daughter. Sophie, though she hadn't seen her mother since her birth, practically, recognized her, cooing in her mother's arms.

The lovers nodded at each other, and Callie stepped out of the cabin with a single thought. It surprised Edward to hear it, considering the events of the day. It was simple, and if one didn't know better, it could be considered pitiful.

_Don't kill him._

The emphasis lay on "kill," and Edward took that to mean "everything but." While Callie walked calmly away from that little house, she smiled at the sound of more bones breaking.


	22. Omega

The pain Callie had come to expect from any human's scent wasn't present in her daughter; she smelled like lilacs and earth. Comfortable and content, she walked through the settlement Around her, her family was taking out the few stragglers, joining her as she passed.

As they had decided, they did not kill any of the werewolves; after all, they had no way of determining who had a hand in Sophie's kidnapping and who didn't. Jacob had brought out so many werewolves that Callie found herself wondering how they fed them all. At any rate, there mission wasn't entirely about revenge. What mattered is that they got Sophie back.

The little girl had no trouble remembering her mother, and cooed in her arms. She had already grown to look like her mother, her face round and freckled, her hair curly and untidy. Most of all, her eyes saw, just as her mother's eyes saw, through dense green lenses.

Her family had entirely joined her as she walked out of the little village; as they reached the forest's edge, they were joined by Rosalie and Nate. They disappeared into the darkness, though, before Edward caught up, brushing fur off of his pants. He had a grin on his face that told Callie that he had been waiting to do that for a long time.

They spent the night in a upscale hotel in the middle of a city they weren't familiar with. Alice took advantage of the local shops to buy an entire wardrobe for little Sophie, dragging Jasper behind all the way, while Emmett and Rosalie shopped for the appropriate furnishings. After kissing their granddaughter and their newest daughter, Carlisle and Esme wandered off for a night out. Nate went off on his own, but not without being a proper uncle and swinging his ecstatic niece around in circles. Edward and Callie were finally left alone with her daughter.

"So what do we do now?" Edward asked as he scooped Callie, who held Sophie, up in his arms, and kissed his new daughter on the head. Callie pouted a little, and he kissed her in a way only a husband would kiss his wife.

His kiss made Callie realize something, and Edward heard it just as soon as she thought it. He looked at her, and they smiled. Sophie watched her parents grin, and giggled with happiness.

It was a short four weeks that passed before Edward and Callie stood at the altar together and said, "I do."


End file.
